4 Jan 1930

The Institution of Highway Engineers was launched at a meeting in the Shirehall, Swaffham, Norfolk.   The first Chairman was Captain Charles Frobisher, who had a key role in the formation of the Institution and designed the Institution crest showing the Appian Way.

Colonel C Crompton
First President

8 Feb 1930

First Council Meeting held at the Globe Hotel, Kings Lynn

28 Nov 1930

Memorandum and Articles signed

13 Dec 1930

Memorandum and Articles formally incorporated

Nov 1930

The first edition of the Journal was published.

1930 - 34

The first President was Col R. E. B. Crompton, a Chartered Civil Engineer

21 st June 1931

Service of Inauguration at St Anne's Church, Soho, and first Annual Dinner at the Hotel Metropole.

1931 - 1932

The Institution's activities were centred around its birthplace, East Anglia.   This raised objections from members further afield!

1932

The administrative centre of the Institution moved to the London office of Mr J Speni, the Honorary Secretary.  

It was agreed that Council should meet twice a year

1935

Mr A.T. Hobbs became the first paid secretary of the Institution.   The administration was carried out from his office in Parliament Mansions, Westminster.  

MerseyTunnel

1936

The quarterly Journal was replaced with a bimonthly bulletin, in order to be more cost effective.

1938

Formation of Branches in the North and the Midlands

1939

Membership reached 400

1939

A committee of 10 members was set up to run the affairs of the Institution during the War.

1946

Mr Noel W Jenson took over as secretary. The Institution's registered offices moved to Romney Street, SW1 and then to Victoria Street.  

1948

HRH Prince Philip became an Honorary Member

1948

The quarterly Journal was resumed

Sept 1948

A third Branch was formed - the South Western Branch

23 Sept 1948

Locan Cup Golf Competition initiated.

April 1949

The Northern Branch was split into two: North Eastern and North Western.

1950

Membership reached 1,000

Advertisement from the 1950s

1951

The East Anglia and Scottish Branches were formed

1952

The Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Branch was formed from part of the North Eastern Branch

1956

The South Wales Branch was formed

1957

The South Midlands Branch was formed

1957

Membership reached 2,000

1958

Three Branches were formed - the South Eastern, Northern (from part of the North Eastern) and the Southern.

1959

It was agreed that the President should serve for 1 year only.

1959

Council decided that any additional income from the increase in subscriptions should be used for Branch activities.

1960

HRH Prince Philip served as President

M1 1st Service Station, Toddington

1960

The East Midlands Branch was formed.   There were now 13 Branches in total.

13 Dec 1960

The 30th Annual Luncheon was held

Membership reached over 3,000

1960

The Institution established an exam - Diploma in Traffic Engineering (renamed in 1974 as Diploma in Transportation Engineering).

1961

The North Wales Branch was formed

1962

The Greater London Branch was formed

1963

The secretary, Mr N Jensen, died and the Institution was left with no secretary and no offices!

1964

Mr M J Hall became our first full time secretary.   The Institution's offices moved to 14 Queen Anne's Gate, SW1 and remained there until 1976.

1964

The Northern Ireland Branch was formed

1964

Changes were made to Council and the Committees, as Council had grown too large to handle all Institution business effectively.   Two more Committees were established (making seven in total) and Council agreed to meet every two months to consider and approve the reports of the Committees.   Every Council Member was on at least one Committee.  

The Committees were:   Policy, Past Presidents, Examinations, Finance, Membership, Technical and Publications.  

1965

The West Midlands Branch was formed

Each Branch had a representative on Council and the Committees.  

Each Branch Honorary Secretary and Treasurer met the President and Officers in London each year to discuss the forthcoming programme.  

1965

The first National Conference 'Highway Practice in North America and Europe' was held at Church House, Westminster.  

1965

The Institution set up The Association of Highway Technicians.   In 1972 the Association became an independent organisation.  

1966

A Diploma in Highway Materials was established

1967

The Journal began to be produced monthly.

1970

Membership reached nearly 7,000

Moving offices in the 1970s

1973

Miss Patricia Steel became the Secretary of the Institution.

1974

The Institution gained Charitable Status

1974

The constitution of Council was redrafted to include:

The President

Four Past Presidents

Up to Five Vice Presidents

15 Elected Members, 18 Branch Members, 4 Nominated Members and the Honorary Treasurer.  

1976

Membership reached 8,600

1976

An Honorary Representative Member in Hong Kong was appointed.

1976

The Institution moved offices to Lygon Place, SW1

1977

Proposed name change to 'The Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers' or 'The Institution of Transportation and Highway Engineers' rejected by the membership.

8 July 1983

The name of the Institution was changed to 'The Institution of Highways and Transportation'.

Oct 1984

Formation of the Hong Kong Branch

18 June 1990

Dr Martin Cragg appointed as Secretary

M3 Lagan Bridge

April 1991

Presentation made to IHT's 10,000th Member

Feb 1992

The Malaysian Branch was formed

Oct 1995

The Institution moved to offices in Endsleigh Street

22 May 2000

A new IHT logo was launched

Dec 2001

Mary Lewis took over from Dr Cragg as Chief Executive/Secretary

April 2004

Republic of Ireland Branch set up