Andrew Townsend obituary

My friend and colleague Andrew Townsend, who has died of cancer aged 54, was a construction professional who switched career to become an archaeologist. He thus bridged a gap between the two fields and benefited both. In addition to distinguished academic achievement, he initiated the world’s only published form of contract for archaeological investigations, for the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Andrew had a peripatetic childhood. Born in Germany to Nova and John, who were there with the armed forces, he spent his early childhood spare time “excavating” prehistoric and Roman settlements in Cyprus with his sister, Helen.