Remembering my dad, Robin Wiseman

It is with great sadness that I let the water community know my father Robin Wiseman passed away quietly on 21 March following a long illness with cancer. Many will know Robin. He worked on New Civil Engineer magazine in the early seventies, firstly as production editor and later as northern correspondent.

In the late seventies, he and colleague Brian Appleton persuaded ICE publisher Thomas Telford to launch a new international water magazine – and so World Water was born. Excited by the possibilities of desktop publishing, he left World Water to set up his own company, which later pushed into events.

Robin co-founded African Conferences & Exhibitions - now ACE Events - with Tracey Nolan-Shaw, holding water and building & construction events across the continent. More recently he took up the role of editor of Desalination & Water Reuse, the magazine of the International Desalination Association. 

On retiring he became a very active member of the Arundel Museum Society and pursued his passion for Tudor history, along with computer gaming.

He taught me very early on just how important water is and later transferred his magazine editing skills when he took up the offer to edit World Water temporarily and put me at the helm. He also supported me in the early days of WiseOnWater with advice and encouragement and a useful line in iMacs as he upgraded to the latest models.

Robin also leaves behind my sister Bryony in California and four grandchildren, Madeleine, Bridget, Rocky and Rosie. 

A very small funeral took place on 24 March in Chichester, given these exceptional times, and we hope to hold a memorial in the future when friends and family can come together again. Let me know if you would like to be informed.

Thanks to all who cared for Robin, especially the incredible, compassionate and dedicated healthcare workers at St Wilfrid’s Hospice and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester, UK, who will be facing the hardest of times. Donations in lieu of flowers should be sent to either organisation or to Water Aid. 

A Just Giving page has been set up in Robin’s memory https://www.justgiving.com/RobinWiseman?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=fundraisingpage&utm_content=RobinWiseman&utm_campaign=pfp-email&utm_term=xJG8eJ3yK.

Natasha Wiseman