- TitleMetropolitan-Vickers and AEI material
- ReferenceYA1986.50
- Production date1939 - 1954
- Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co LtdBiographyBiographyMetropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd was the new trading name given to British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co on 8 September 1919. The predecessor company had sold its controlling share to the Metropolitan Carriage Wagon Co in 1916 in order to gain membership of the Federation of British Industries. In 1919, Vickers acquired the Metropolitan Carriage Wagon Co, along with its controlling share in British Westinghouse, prompting the change in name to Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd. The American owned British Westinghouse had established its English operations at Trafford Park in 1899, and Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd continued on the same site from 8 September 1919. The company was initially known for its electricity generators, later diversifying into the manufacture of steam turbines, switchgear, transformers, electronics and railway traction equipment. The passing of the Electricity (Supply) Act in 1926 provided a boost to the company’s post-war fortunes, with the creation of the National Grid generating demand for the company's products. In 1928, Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd merged with its rival British Thomson Houston Co Ltd, retaining both names for trading purposes. The following year, on 4 January 1929, Associated Electrical Industries Ltd (AEI) acquired Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd. Again, both trading names were retained, and a fierce rivalry was established between the firms which the parent company was unable to control. In 1931, Sir Felix Pole joined Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd as its new chairman. He oversaw a period of expansion for the company leading into the Second World War. In 1939, seeking a more concise name for the company, the Board of Directors decided upon Metrovicks, which became interchangeable with the official company name of Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd. Under Sir Felix Pole's chairmanship, Metropolitan-Vickers developed new products for the aviation industry and during the war was one of the sites where Lancaster bombers were built. In 1941, the company developed the first British axial-flow jet engine, the Metrovick F.2. Following the Second World War, the company appointed Oliver Lyttelton as chairman, with the aim of increasing the efficiency and productivity of AEI. Despite his success in achieving this aim, Lyttelton was unable to resolve the commercial rivalry between Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd. During his second period as chairman, from 1954-1963, Lyttelton, now Lord Chandos, oversaw the development by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd of the first commercial transistor computer, the Metrovick 950. Chandos also resolved to extinguish the competition and internal divisions between Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd, and both company names ceased to be used from 1 January 1960, with all subsidiaries going on to trade under the name of Associated Electrical Industries Ltd.
- Scope and ContentMetropolitan-Vickers publication entitled 'Contribution to Victory', plus document detailing the turbine department orders 1939-1954 and a photograph of AEI staff, c 1940.
- Extent3 items
- Archival historyDonated to the Greater Manchester Museum of Science and Industry by R. R. Whyte, a former employee of Metropolitan-Vickers
- Level of descriptionTOP
- Repository nameScience and Industry Museum
- Whyte, Robert RogerBiographyBiographyRobert R Whyte started at Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd as a Vacation Apprentice and College Apprentice between 1930 and 1935. He worked in the Mechanical Production Department and the Mechanical Department as an Assistant Superintendent, and became became Superintendent of the Gas Turbine Department in the late 1940s. Whyte eventually became responsible for building turbines of all types at Trafford Park. He was a member of the Manufacturing Sub-Committee of the Gas Turbine Collaboration Committee, set up in 1941 by the Ministry of Aircraft Production. Whyte was awarded an MBE in 1948. As well as presenting several papers on manufacturing, particularly of blades, to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, he edited two books, "Engineering Progress through Failure", and "Engineering Progress through Development", both published by the I. Mech. E., in 1975 and 1978 respectively. His work had brought him into regular contact with Dr D M Smith, FRS, who was highly respected for his work on the design of gas turbines, and when Dr Smith died, Whyte assisted with the preparation of the obituary for the Royal Society. A new challenge presented by gas turbines was the manufacture of large numbers of compressor and turbine blades: axial compressors, as made by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd, needed blades made to a higher precision and of more complex form than turbines, either gas-turbine turbines or the steam turbines which Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd had made for many years; gas-turbine turbine blades needed new high temperature materials which were more difficult to machine than steam turbine blades; the engines, particularly jet engines, would be made in much larger numbers than steam turbines had ever been. These needs led to the development of new machines and techniques by both engine makers and machine-tool makers. Whyte took particular interest in blade manufacture and compiled a number of binders of information about their design and operation. Whyte worked for Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd until 1970.
- Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co LtdBiographyBiographyMetropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd was the new trading name given to British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Co on 8 September 1919. The predecessor company had sold its controlling share to the Metropolitan Carriage Wagon Co in 1916 in order to gain membership of the Federation of British Industries. In 1919, Vickers acquired the Metropolitan Carriage Wagon Co, along with its controlling share in British Westinghouse, prompting the change in name to Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd. The American owned British Westinghouse had established its English operations at Trafford Park in 1899, and Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd continued on the same site from 8 September 1919. The company was initially known for its electricity generators, later diversifying into the manufacture of steam turbines, switchgear, transformers, electronics and railway traction equipment. The passing of the Electricity (Supply) Act in 1926 provided a boost to the company’s post-war fortunes, with the creation of the National Grid generating demand for the company's products. In 1928, Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd merged with its rival British Thomson Houston Co Ltd, retaining both names for trading purposes. The following year, on 4 January 1929, Associated Electrical Industries Ltd (AEI) acquired Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd. Again, both trading names were retained, and a fierce rivalry was established between the firms which the parent company was unable to control. In 1931, Sir Felix Pole joined Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd as its new chairman. He oversaw a period of expansion for the company leading into the Second World War. In 1939, seeking a more concise name for the company, the Board of Directors decided upon Metrovicks, which became interchangeable with the official company name of Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd. Under Sir Felix Pole's chairmanship, Metropolitan-Vickers developed new products for the aviation industry and during the war was one of the sites where Lancaster bombers were built. In 1941, the company developed the first British axial-flow jet engine, the Metrovick F.2. Following the Second World War, the company appointed Oliver Lyttelton as chairman, with the aim of increasing the efficiency and productivity of AEI. Despite his success in achieving this aim, Lyttelton was unable to resolve the commercial rivalry between Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd. During his second period as chairman, from 1954-1963, Lyttelton, now Lord Chandos, oversaw the development by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd of the first commercial transistor computer, the Metrovick 950. Chandos also resolved to extinguish the competition and internal divisions between Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co Ltd and the British Thomson Houston Co Ltd, and both company names ceased to be used from 1 January 1960, with all subsidiaries going on to trade under the name of Associated Electrical Industries Ltd.
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