Who we are

 

Contributors to The Forrest Project consist of partners, researchers and associates. Two of the partners in Jamaica are listed as directors (one as company secretary) for the purpose of registering the corporate entity.

Each regional group of researchers and associates is led by a partner, who has equal standing with partners in other regions and countries. There can be any number of partners. However, a Board of Partners headed by a chairman has been appointed from the founding group: Jane Forrest (Hyland), Jacqueline Shepard, Douglas Forrest, Geoff Ayling, John Innes and Ian Malik (Smith).

The Board has responsibility for policy, strategic directions, management, ensuring financial viability, quality assurance and appointments made by The Forrest Project.

For the first two years of operation prior to formalising The Forrest Project, the group of partners was able to operate very closely, even though located in Florida, Tasmania, New South Wales, Malaysia and Jiangsu Province (China). A regional group should as a result not be considered to be constrained by geographic boundaries.

Note that the only office of The Forrest Project is located in Kingston, Jamaica, where the Project is incorporated. The Forrest Project is otherwise located entirely within the Internet, although partners will on occasions conduct meetings at international venues. Communications may only be made via the website. Appointments cannot be made unless a private face-to-face discussion is agreed with a partner, researcher or associate at a nominated meeting place.

Douglas Forrest:

Doug Forrest was born in 1936 in Launceston, Tasmania and graduated as a mechanical engineer. He worked for almost 40 years with Associated Pulp and Paper Mills Limited at Burnie on the North West Coast of Tasmania, serving for much of that time as a Chartered Professional Engineer in maintenance and on major Paper and Pulp Mill upgrade projects. Doug is a foundation member of the Burnie Family History Society and former President of the Genealogical Society of Tasmania. He has for several decades researched the history of his great-grandfather, Captain Haughton Forrest.

Geoffrey Ayling AM, MSc, C Chem, MRACI:

Geoff Ayling is an Australian citizen born in 1939. He has a higher degree from The University of Tasmania. His career includes 15 years as a teacher of physics, chemistry and mathematics, 37 years as a forensic scientist and 3 years in Shanghai, China as manager of a large foreign aid project for The World Bank. He is an experienced writer, having published many papers in scientific journals. His first book, on the spectroscopic identification of microquantities of chemicals and drugs in the human body, was published in 1974. In sport he is a competitive fullbore rifle shooter and has won HM The Queen’s Prize on 16 occasions. In 1980 he became World Champion, also winning the national championships of the UK, Australia, Kenya and Barbados. In 1982 he won a gold medal at the British Commonwealth Games in Brisbane. He has since written books on the use of mental approaches to enhancing high level performance in athletes and the academic ability of students at school and university. In 2009 Geoff commenced working on The Forrest Project, with descendants of Admiral Arthur Forrest (c1716-1770), documenting the history and naval engagements of this hero of the Royal Navy during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). Admiral Forrest was Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Squadron until his death at Kingston in Jamaica. Arthur Forrest was descended from 17th century settlers of Jamaica, who are also being researched by members of the Project. Geoff Ayling owns a home in Sydney, NSW and has for the past nine years worked in China. He has two sons, two daughters and grandchildren living in Australia.

Ian Malik A.M.I.E.D:

Ian Malik was born Ian Smith at Melbourne, Australia in 1946. He graduated as a Design Engineer from the British Institute of Engineering  Technology, Sydney whilst working for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority. Thereafter Ian was employed as a design draftsman with General Motors Holden and rose to the position of styling engineer prior to departing for Papua New Guinea in 1967. During 30 years of employment within the agriculture sector of P.N.G. he commenced as a plantations manager for Burns Philp (NG) Ltd, resigned as their General Plantations Manager after 20 years  and was then appointed General Manager – Agricultural Projects for the Agriculture Bank of PNG. Ian is now an agricultural consultant in Malaysia specializing in the compilation and assessment of feasibility studies for large scale estates, where self-sustainability  and minimal ecological & environmental impact effects are the major keys for project success. He is also the Agronomist-in-Charge, Faculty of Herbal Medicine at the Alliance University College of Medical Sciences, Penang. As a former glider pilot instructor and rally driver Ian now spends his leisure time constructing period model sailing ships and studying computer technology.

Ian is a direct descendent of Admiral Arthur Forrest RN and great-great-grandson of the artist Haughton Forrest. He is also this site’s webmaster.

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