Harold Firth Haworth (1882-1939) of Leyland Motors
1938/39 Obituary [1]
Harold Firth Haworth was born in 1882, and received his technical education at Liverpool University under Prof. Hele-Shaw, and subsequently at Zurich University. He obtained the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Basle University, Master of Science at Victoria University and Bachelor of Engineering at Liverpool University.
He was appointed Lecturer in Electrical Engineering at the City and Guilds Engineering College until 1914, when he joined the London Electrical Engineers Branch of the Royal Engineers.
At the termination of the War he returned for a short time to the City and Guilds Engineering College, and in 1920 was appointed to take charge of Technical Instruction of Engineer Apprentices at Leyland Motors, including much experimental and research work.
He was subsequently appointed Chief Technical Officer, and retained this post until his death, which took place on 18th June, 1939, at the age of 56.
He was elected a Member in 1924 and served on the Council from 1933 until his death.
1939 Obituary [2]
"HAROLD FIRTH HAWORTH, Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Eng., who will be remembered for his long association with Leyland Motors, Ltd., had a brilliant academic career.
Born at Liverpool in 1882, he attended the Liverpool Institute from 1890 until 1899, when he was awarded the City Council Scholarship to University College, Liverpool.
Between 1899 and 1904 he attended Liverpool University, where he took the degree of B.Eng., and Victoria University, where he took the degree of M.Sc. (Hons., Eng.).
In 1904 he went to the Continent to study for two years at Zurich University. He was the David Rew Memorial Scholar at Liverpool University, the 1851 Royal Exhibition Scholar, and he also gained the Ph.D. degree at the University of Basle.
In 1906 he was appointed to the staff of the City and Guilds Engineering College, London, a post he held until 1914, and which he took up again for two years after the War.
During the War he served as a captain in the Royal Engineers. For the first three years he was second in command of the first Anti-Aircraft, R.E., School at Shoeburyness, where he worked on the development of the searchlight. His service in France between 1917 and 1918 was mentioned in dispatches. From 1919 to 1920 he served on the Army and Navy Anti-Aircraft Research Committee in London, as well as holding an appointment on the staff of the Imperial College of Science and Technology, South Kensington. In 1920 he joined the staff of Leyland Motors, Ltd., Leyland, Lancashire, as technical instruction manager in charge of the first pupil apprentice hostel. He later also undertook the duties of research engineer.
In 1929 he became chief engineer and in 1933 chief technical officer.
In 1935 he was elected a Member of the Institution and contributed, in the same year, a joint paper with Mr. A. Lysholm, entitled "Progress in Design and Application of the Lysholm-Smith Torque Converter with special reference to the Development in England". The authors were awarded a Water Arbitration Prize for this paper. He was also a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. At Leyland Motors, Ltd., he designed heavy vehicles and special machines for military use and operation in roadless countries, and he was also responsible for the design of railcar units and trolleybus chassis. Dr. Haworth had travelled extensively and he spent a considerable amount of time in many of the large works in Europe and America.
He died in Manchester on 18th June 1939, following an operation."
1939 Obituary [3]