Tom was born in Bootle in May 1941, son of a shipwright, and came to St. Mary's from St. Monica's Primary School. After a doctorate and lectureship at Liverpool University, he transferred to Birmingham University where, in 1981, he was appointed Hanson Professor of Metallurgy.  Tom's work had global impact. He was the originator and foremost promoter of the multidisciplinary concept of ‘surface engineering', embracing materials science and design and process engineering, with applications ranging from heavy industry to medical prosthetics. Tom was also a trailblazer, from the 1970s, in opening up academic and industrial links with China, holding professorships in Chinese universities and bringing to Birmingham a brilliant succession of doctoral students. In 1997 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He was only the second British citizen to be honoured with membership of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and in 2007 was appointed professor and director of the International Surface Engineering Centre at Xian University. Tom was St. Mary's Chairman of Governors from 1987 to the formation of the new Trust on 1st January 2006.  Sadly Tom passed away in April 2008.