Bryce McCrirrick
Obituary by Bert Gallon
Bryce McCrirrick, CBE, FEng, FIEE, FRTS, former Director of Engineering at the BBC, died on 26 December 2023, aged 96. Born in Galashiels, and educated at the local Academy and Heriot Watt College, Edinburgh, he joined the BBC in 1943. His career was interrupted by two years National Service in the RAF and when he returned to the BBC, in 1949, he joined the Television service. He went on to hold a number of senior posts in the Television service, including Technical Operations Manager, Engineer-in-Charge, Television Studios, and Head of Engineering, Television Recording, before moving, in 1969, to become Head of Studio Capital Projects Department. Twelve months later he was appointed Chief Engineer, Radio Broadcasting, and this was quickly followed by his appointment as Assistant Director of Engineering. He became Deputy Director of Engineering in 1976 and Director of Engineering in 1978.
Bryce gained a very wide experience in the years prior to his appointment as Director of Engineering, which was invaluable as he led BBC Engineering through a number of important technical innovations and organisational changes. He played an active part in the BBC’s management team and in the various engineering and broadcast institutions to which he belonged. He was highly regarded throughout the broadcasting industry as well as within the BBC, and although his preferred management style was to keep a slight distance from staff, he was completely committed to their interests. One of the first questions he would ask when organisational and technical changes were being discussed was how would staff be affected. He also took a detailed interest in the work of staff across the Directorate and was quick to recognise and celebrate special achievements.
He retired from the BBC in 1987, but there were no signs of his enthusiasm and energy declining as he approached this milestone, or in the years that followed, as he welcomed new roles as a consultant and as Director of a number of companies associated with broadcasting. He also continued his work with the IEE and he became the Institute’s President in 1988. In 1990 he was delighted when a new conference centre opened at BBC Wood Norton which was named after him. I kept in touch with Bryce for many years as we both attended concerts at the Anvil Arts Centre and classical music was one of his interests away from work, together with the theatre and travel, which included two or three cruise ship tours each year. They were interests that he shared with Margaret, his wife of over 70 years, and Margaret survives him together with two of their sons, Alastair and Stuart.