Happy Retirement Ian Lewis!

After nearly a decade with Kemp and a long, varied career in surveying, Ian Lewis is now looking ahead to retirement!

Ian had never planned on becoming a surveyor having originally had his sights set on becoming a PE teacher. However, halfway through his A Levels, he decided to explore a different path. A conversation with a careers advisor led him to land surveying, and with Simmons Survey Partnership located close to his parents’ house, he arranged to visit for a chat. That conversation turned into a summer job, and Ian quickly discovered he had found his calling. He went on to study land surveying at university, returning to Simmons during each summer break to build his experience.

Ian joined Kemp almost nine years ago following a life change that brought him to Cornwall. In 2017, he and his family purchased a beach café, but it didn’t take long for Ian to realise that he preferred sitting in cafés rather than running them. With a new home in Cornwall and a need for work, Ian spotted an opportunity at Kemp. He credits Scott for “being brave enough to employ some old bloke with little setting out experience” a decision that would lead to nearly a decade of valuable contributions.

One of the highlights of Ian’s time at Kemp has been the variety of work. Throughout his career, he has particularly enjoyed semi-resident engineer roles, where he could fully immerse himself in projects and become part of the wider team. For Ian, this variety is what makes surveying so rewarding. He believes there’s no such thing as a typical day, with every site bringing new challenges and obstacles.

Ian’s career has certainly been diverse. Before joining Kemp, he established and spent 20 years establishing and running his own, much respected chartered survey practice, Lewis Brown Partnership which still operates out of Wellington. He also recalls a memorable moment when he received a call from RICS, who were conducting a survey on what members did in a typical day. At the time, Ian was in Falmouth, pinning the face of a retaining wall in extremely wet conditions, scrambling around a waterlogged foundation

installing Hilti nails. When he explained this, the caller didn’t quite believe him, until he sent a photo. Her response? “I didn’t know chartered surveyors did that.”

When asked about his most memorable project, Ian goes right back to the start of his career. After leaving university, he worked in the remote Dhofar region of Oman, installing triangulation pillars on hilltops and mountains. Alongside another surveyor and a team of labourers, Ian carried out observations and completed all calculations by hand before sending them back to London for official computation. For Ian, this experience captured what surveying was all about, technical, challenging, and adventurous.

Over the years, Ian has witnessed remarkable advancements in surveying technology. When he first started, EDM units were bolted onto theodolite telescopes, and GPS didn’t exist. He remembers taking astronomical observations to calculate latitude and

longitude positions, all computed manually using programmable calculators. The pace of technological change in the industry, he says, has been incredible.

If surveying hadn’t worked out, Ian believes he might have pursued a career as a solicitor. His interest in land law and experience handling boundary disputes suited his naturally meticulous and detail-focused nature, qualities that have served him well throughout his surveying career.

Outside of work, Ian enjoys spending time with his grandchildren, visiting the beach, taking part in water sports (preferably in warm weather), and more recently, cycling.

As retirement approaches, Ian is looking forward to having more time for travel and hobbies, although he admits the list of garden tasks is already growing. He’s also considering taking up golf, something many retirees promise themselves.

One destination still high on Ian’s list is Petra in Jordan, a place that has fascinated him for more than 30 years. Despite his best efforts, he hasn’t yet convinced his wife to visit but retirement might finally provide the opportunity. As Ian jokes, he may even be eligible to join a Saga tour.

After a long and varied career spanning continents, evolving technology, and countless projects, Ian’s retirement is well deserved. Everyone at Kemp wishes him the very best as he begins this next chapter.