| Sir Oliver Edwin Simmonds | |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 November 1897 King's Lynn, Norfolk, England |
| Died | 26 July 1985 (aged 87) Guernsey, Channel Islands |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Aircraft engineer, Member of Parliament, Industrialist |
| Known for | Aircraft designs including the Simmonds Spartan |
| Spouse | Gladys E. Hewitt |
| Children | Doreen P. Kay, Geoffrey R. Simmonds, and Janette P. Gailey |
Sir Oliver Edwin Simmonds, FRAeS, (1897 – 1985) was a British aviation pioneer, aircraft engineer and Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Duddeston from 1931 to 1945.[1]
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Magdalene College, Cambridge University Aeronautical Society, Honorary Secretary, Hon. Sec. of the Royal Aircraft Establishment. Aero Club of South Farnborough, Hampshire.
Oliver Simmonds joined the Royal Aircraft Factory on leaving university. Simmonds was co-designer with R. J. Mitchell of the Supermarine seaplanes which led to the Spitfire. Simmonds announced that he had severed his connection with the Supermarine Aviation Works in July 1928, and that in future all communications with reference to the "Spartan" and the "Simmonds Interchangeable Wings" be addressed to him at "Holmfels", Woolston, Hampshire.[2] The "Spartan" had wings designed so that any one spar can be used on the port or starboard side, and as top or bottom plane. A similar interchangeability was effected in the case of the elevators and rudder, so that the number of spares needed is very small. July 26, 1928
In 1928 Simmonds formed two companies: Simmonds Aircraft, Ltd.— Capital £20,000, in £1 shares. With the purpose of acquiring interests in patents, licences, concessions and the like held or to be held by the Simmonds Interchangeable Wing Co., Ltd., and to acquire from O. E. Simmonds licences relating to the building, manufacture, design, sale or otherwise of the Simmonds Spartan Light Aeroplane, Chairman and permanent managing director: O. E. Simmonds. Solicitors : Rowe and Wilkie, 7, Queen Street, E.C.4. and Simmonds Interchangeable Wing Co., LTD.—Capital £100, in £1 shares. Under agreement with O. E. Simmonds, to acquire interests in any invention relating to the design, manufacture or use of aircraft on aircraft parts, in particular, interests in any patents, licences, concessions and the like held by the said O. E. Simmonds. Chairman and managing director : O. E. Simmonds. Solicitor : C. F. Simmonds, 40/44, Holborn Viaduct, E.C. 1 Simmonds sold the companies to the Whitehall Securities Corporation Ltd, majority shareholders in Saunders Roe Ltd who renamed the company Spartan Aircraft Ltd.
In 1931 Oliver Simmonds decided to pursue other interests, and enter politics as a Conservative. He was elected at the 1931 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Duddeston, defeating the sitting Labour Party MP George Sawyer.[3] He held until the seat until his defeat at the 1945 general election.[3] In the House Simmonds spoke on aviation and workers' conditions.
On selling his Simmonds / Spartan companies Oliver Simmonds established Simmonds Aerocessories.[4] As the company grew it expanded its interests to producing aircraft controls and a fuel measurement tool that became a standard in the industry. Under his auspices the company grew rapidly spreading across all of Europe as a multi-national and then worldwide into Canada, the US and Australia.[5] In 1941 Simmonds Aerocessories built a one-off target drone the OQ-11 which was tested by the USAAF.
In 1947 the Electric and General Industrial Trusts, Ltd., of which Mr. C. W. Hayward was chairman bought the entire share capital of Simmonds Aerocessories, Ltd., and Simmonds Products, Ltd. Sir Oliver retained his interests in Simmonds Development Corp., Ltd. This company held many of Simmonds patents.[6]
In 1957 a new company, Firth Cleveland Instruments, Ltd.,was formed at Treforest, Glam., to manufacture and market instruments formerly produced by Simmonds Aerocessories and took over from the parent company developments in instrumentation for aircraft and other applications.
B.O.A.C. took over the Aerocessories works on the Great West Road, London and the latter concern moved to the Treforest factory, Cardiff, as well as his interests in his North American companies.[7] The former office building which was built in the Art Deco style on the Great West Road was taken over as headquarters for Beecham Group Ltd in 1955. The building has recently been developed into executive apartments by Barratt and has been renamed Wallis House. At the top of the main entrance tower is a sculpture of an angel / airman by Eric Gill who designed created the famous sculpture of Prospero and Ariel on BBC Broadcasting House and the typeface Gill Sans.
Simmonds Aerocessories was the original manufacturer of surform tools.
In 1948 Simmonds sold his British based interests and moved to The Bahamas. He immediately became involved in starting a construction company and undertook the development of The Balmoral,[8] a hotel on Cable Beach now known as the Sandals resort. In its heyday, the hotel was known for its relaxed and sophisticated atmosphere and hosted many notable guests, amongst which were The Beatles who were here to film the movie Help!. Sir Oliver Simmonds also lent his energies to helping stabilize the hotel industry by becoming the President of The Hotel Employer Association and then the President of The Friends of The Bahamas, an organization encouraging the recognition of Bahamian creative talent in the hotel and music industries. Sir Oliver would later help The Lou Adams Orchestra[9] to become the first Bahamian band to perform in the dining room of the British Colonial Hotel, at a time when it was unheard of for local bands to perform in the dining room of any hotel in The Bahamas. Until this time, Bahamian bands could play by the pool areas and maybe the bars, but the dining halls were off limits to local artists. These dining rooms would have Broadway shows that would change each week when the cruise ships arrived at the seaport in Nassau. Sir Oliver built 'High Tor' with its 18 foot gracious high ceiling rooms it was designed with care and with an eye to detail still apparent to this day. Sir Oliver imported English oak panels for doors and an 18th century carved wooden fireplace as well as many other decorative items. He was an inventor and engineer, there are still features existing today that were considered innovative when he designed them such as the floating spiral staircase and the enormous windows that slide down to disappear completely into the floor. He lived in High Tor until 1963 and he continued to live in Lyford Cay until 1977.
Sir Oliver invented a game club - The President of the club was Sir Oliver Simmonds, and the first 4CYTE Champion. The International 4 CYTE Champions' Club is an unincorporated association owned by the International Parlour Games Corporation Limited, Nassau, Bahamas. Each player has an identical set of letters and a six-by-six grid. Players alternate calling letters and placing them on their respective grids. Each player may hold one letter as a stand by. When the grids are filled, the players score the six rows, six column and two diagonals. When a player has spelled a word that is at least three letters long that player receives points for that scoring line. Longer words are worth more points. The player with the most points wins.In the solitaire version, a player selects thirty six letters and moves them around at will to score a personal best.[11]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Francis Sawyer |
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Duddeston 1931 – 1945 |
Succeeded by Edith Agnes Wills |