Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
The 1,186th Lecture to be given before the Society—and the 40th Main Lecture to be held at a Branch centre—“ Trends in Aircraft Propulsion” by H. Pearson, B.A., F.R.Ae.S., Chief Engineer (Performance & Research), Rolls-Royce Ltd., was given under the auspices of the Southampton Branch on 19th January 1961. Professor A. R. Collar, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.Ae.S., F.I.A.S., Vice-President of the Society, presided. A message specially recorded on tape by the President, Dr. E. S. Moult, C.B.E., B.Sc.(Eng.), F.R.Ae.S., M.I.Mech.E., was broadcast. The President said how much he regretted missing Mr. Pearson's lecture and the meeting at the Southampton Branch. He had looked forward to the occasion but he and Dr. Ballantyne, Secretary of the Society, were attending an international congress in Detroit. He was grateful to Professor Collar for deputising for him and sent his best wishes to the Southampton Branch and to everyone present on the occasion.
Professor Collar, introducing the Lecturer, said that Mr. Pearson graduated in Physics from Christ Church. Oxford, and since 1940 he had been with Rolls-Royce, working first at Hucknall on problems connected with exhaust systems. In 1943 he had joined the Rolls- Royce team at Barnoldswick under Dr. S. G. Hooker, now of Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd. Mr. Pearson had returned to Derby in 1946 as Chief Performance Engineer on turbine engines and three years later was appointed Chief Research Engineer. He was now a Director of the Aero Division of Rolls-Royce, and Chief Engineer (Performance and Research).