Kip Grieve
GRIEVE, John Kipling (Kip), BE(Hons) MIEAust (1934-2020)
Kip was born at Perth on March 10, 1934, the son of accountant, John Jeffery Grieve and his wife Doree Leonie Grieve nee Mills. It was likely that Kip was named after Doree’s brother, John Kipling Mills, who died aged 23 in 1928.
In 1951, he enrolled at the University of Western Australia and completed a Bachelor of Engineering with honours in 1957.
In June 1957, he travelled to Europe disembarking at Naples and travelling in an ex hearse to London. In London, he worked with consulting engineers, Kennedy and Donkin as a research engineer. He arrived back in Australia on the “Himalaya” in November 1958. He then commenced working with engineering consultant, Wally Tauss, in December 1958.
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In 1961, when Wally Tauss took on an academic career, Kip took over the company clients. He established Wood and Grieve with his classmate, Anthony Burton (Tony) Wood, specialising in civil/structural (Tony) and building mechanical services (Kip). Tony had been working as one of two structural engineers at architects Forbes and Fitzhardinge.
Kip and Tony opened an office in West Perth on March 13, 1961, in part of an old house at 51 Colin Street. Sid Weston (the draftsman employed by Wally Tauss) was the partnership’s first employee followed by typist/receptionist Annette Watts.
In 1969 the firm expanded with engineers John Michael Tomlinson (civil/structural) and Matthys Johan (Theo) Newhouse (civil/structural). In 1976 the firm expanded further with engineer Anthony Charles (Tony) Nathan (electrical engineering) joining the firm. Tony Nathan headed up a new electrical section and Robert (Bob) William Mercer (structural). All became senior managers of the firm.
In 1982, Kip retired. Tony Wood became Managing Director and continued that role until retiring in 1992. Tony was followed by Managing Directors Bob Mercer, Mike Best and Jose Granado.
Wood and Grieve Engineers continued to go from strength to strength to become a national firm with 650 staff until it was acquired in 2019 by international consulting group Stantec to become Stantec Australia.
Kip had joined the Institution of Engineers in 1961 as a Member.
In April 1962, Kip married Berwyn Kathleen Milner (nee Allen). Berwyn had been married to Keith Raymond (Dig) Milner who was a photographer. Dig was taking photos of a shipwreck near Cervantes for the West Australian when the plane crashed and he died. Kip was friends with Dig and Berwyn and had been godfather to their daughter Kerry. The three Milner children were joined by two more siblings being Russell and Brendon Grieve.
Kip died on December 30, 2020 and was survived by his wife and their five children.
References:
Univew, Vol. 31, No. 3, Spring 2012.
Tauss Family papers.
