George Edwards | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1908-07-09)9 July 1908 Highams Park,London, England |
| Died | 2 March 2003(2003-03-02) (aged 94) |
| Education | Walthamstow Technical Institute Engineering and Trade School |
| Alma mater | University of London |
| Known for | BAC One-Eleven, Concorde |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Aircraft Designer |
| Institutions | Vickers-Armstrongs, British Aircraft Corporation |
Sir George Robert Freeman EdwardsOM CBE FREng FRS DL (9 July 1908 – 2 March 2003), was a British aircraft designer andindustrialist.[1][2]
George Edwards was born on 9 July 1908 atHighams Park, on the north side of London, England.
He attendedWalthamstow Technical Institute Engineering and Trade School, after which he took an engineering course at theUniversity of London and in 1926 acquired a Batchelor of Science (BSc) degree.[3]
The Walthamstow Technical Institute in 1970 became part of North East London Polytechnic (which later became part of theUniversity of East London)
Beginning as a designdraughtsman in 1935, he was promoted in 1940 to Experimental Department Manager and in 1945 he became the Chief Designer of theVickers-Armstrongs team that produced theViking airliner,Valetta military transport,Varsity trainer,Viscount airliners andValiant strategic bomber. He later became managing director of the company, during which time theVanguard,VC10 and (post-merger)BAC TSR-2 strike bomber were developed. He was knighted in 1957. He was President of theRoyal Aeronautical Society in 1957–58.[1]
When Vickers was merged into the newly createdBritish Aircraft Corporation, he became executive director. During this period, he initiated theBAC One-Eleven (initially a Hunting Aircraft design). BAC was also a partner in the international projects forConcorde (for which he led the British team), Anglo-FrenchSEPECAT Jaguar and thePanavia Tornado.[1]
He was awarded theDaniel Guggenheim Medal in 1959. He won theAir League Founders Medal in 1969. He was made a member of theOrder of Merit in 1971, and was awarded theRoyal Medal in 1974 for his distinguished contributions in the applied sciences. He retired from BAC, as chairman, in 1975. In 1989 he was invested in the International Aerospace Hall of Fame.
In October 1935 he married Marjorie Annie (Dinah) Thurgood (1908–1994), a clerk, also from Highams Park. They had a close and mutually supportive marriage and had one daughter, Angela.[3]
His interests included painting andcricket. He was president ofSurrey County Cricket Club in 1979. He died inGuildford in 2003 and his memorial service was held inGuildford Cathedral. He is buried atSt Martha-on-the-Hill.
| Professional and academic associations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by E. T. Jones | President of theRoyal Aeronautical Society 1957–1958 | Succeeded by |
| Business positions | ||
| Preceded by New company | Chairman of British Aircraft Corporation 1963–1975 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief Designer of Vickers 1946–1960 | Succeeded by Company defunct |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
