Hydraulics Research Station
1945 The Institution of Civil Engineers submitted a proposal to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research on the need for a hydraulics research station in the UK.
1947 Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) formed the Hydraulic Research Organisation working at the National Physical Laboratory; early work was on modelling of the Thames Estuary.
1951 The Hydraulics Research Station was established at Wallingford.
1965 Established the Hydrological Research Unit for research river catchments.
1968 After the flood in Somerset the activity of the Hydrological Research Unit increased and the unit was moved to Crowmarsh Gifford as the Institute of Hydrology (now the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology).
1982 Privatisation to create Hydraulics Research Station Limited, a company limited by guarantee.
1983 Change of name Hydraulics Research Limited (HRS).
1991 Change of name to HR Wallingford Limited.
Today HR Wallingford is an independent civil engineering and environmental hydraulics rganisation.