Joe Townsend, former Mayor of Brighton and active member of SPRU from the 1960s to the early 1980s, died on 13 May at the age of 76.

Joe had one over-riding passion: collecting data on significant innovations. He started doing this in a project in the 1960s and went on doing it even when the money ran out, until a research council grant in the late 1970s enabled the construction of the SPRU Innovation Data Bank ('Significant innovations in Britain, 1945-82').

This has subsequently become famous internationally as the basis of a variety of papers - in SPRU and elsewhere - on sectoral patterns of technical change, the size structure of innovating firms, technology and corporate strategy, etc. It also became an international exemplar in further developments in the measurement of innovation.

However, when we at SPRU were asked to update the UK Data Bank, we have been reluctant to do so. It would be difficult to find anyone uniquely dedicated to collecting data on innovation as was Joe.

He was also a colourful and entertaining character. Although sympathetic to the thoughts of Karl, he was much closer to Groucho in looks, wit and general lack of discipline.

He was a Labour councillor, who became Mayor of Brighton in 1991, and enjoyed attending the 25th anniversary of SPRU resplendent in dark suit and ceremonial chains.

Joe's funeral took place on 23 May at Woodvale crematorium in Brighton.

Keith Pavitt
R. M. Phillips Professor of Science and Technology Policy