George Dowty
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Sir George Herbert Dowty (1901-1975) was an English inventor and businessman.
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[edit] Early life
Dowty (pronounced as-in doughty) was born in Pershore, Worcestershire in 1901. He was sent to the Royal Grammar School Worcester after losing his right eye at the age of 12 playing around making a firework. He left in 1916 to take up a job as an apprentice for a factory in Worcester. He later moved to Cheltenham to become a draughtsman for the same company.
[edit] Aircraft equipment
In 1935 he set up his own company in Cheltenham making aircraft equipment. Dowty invented the first internally sprung aircraft wheel (used on the Gloster Gladiator) and by the time the Second World War had broken out the company was known as Dowty Aviation and was making the hydraulic systems for almost every aircraft in Britain and many in America. His equipment was also used in the Concorde jets.
[edit] Honours
In 1955 he was knighted by the Queen for his services to the industry. By now his company was a multinational with many subsidiaries.
In 1961 he became the President of the Worcester Old Elizabethans' Association and amongst his other awards he was President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, winning the RAeS Gold Medal, and President of the Worcestershire County Cricket Club. He was given the Freedom of the Borough of Cheltenham and Gloucester and was a Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire. He died in 1975 but his company still remains and is known as Messier-Dowty, Messier being a French firm based in Paris.
[edit] See also
- Dowty Group plc
- Messier-Dowty
- Dowty Rotol
