Henry Thornton Newbigin
Henry Thornton Newbigin (1864-1928) of Michell Bearings
1901 Became associated with Mr Michell, inventor of the Michell Bearing
1928 Obituary [1]
HENRY THORNTON NEWBIGIN was for a long period of his life associated with the development of the Michell bearing. Mr. Michell placed the development of the bearing in this country in Mr. Newbigin's hands shortly after its invention, and when in 1921 the firm of Messrs. Michell Bearings was founded, Mr. Newbigin became technical director and manager.
In 1925 he relinquished the management, but remained a director until his death on 27th October 1928.
His earlier experience began with an apprenticeship with Messrs. Black, Hawthorn and Company of Gateshead, and he afterwards occupied various managerial posts with foundry, colliery, and general structural and mechanical engineering firms in the north-east of England.
In 1900 he commenced practice on his own account as a civil engineer and was responsible for many important structural works in Newcastle.
In 1914 he read a Paper of outstanding importance on "The Problem of the Thrust Bearing" before the Institution of Civil Engineers, of which he was an Associate Member.
He was recently concerned with the development of a trench-digging machine for field drainage.
Mr. Newbigin was born at Alnwick in 1864, and became a Member of the Institution in 1923.