Radcliffe Ward
Michael Radcliffe Ward (c1859- ), electrical engineer and automotive pioneer
c.1859 Born, Alderley, Cheshire[1]
1879 Radcliffe Ward was the electrical engineer of the British Electric Light Co Ltd (Alderman Hubback, chairman). He was involved in experiments with electric light at the George's pier head, Liverpool and with ship-board illumination systems[2].
c.1881 Mr. Radcliffe Ward designed a Gramme machine with a very much larger bobbin and flat field magnets instead of circular ones, giving high electro-motive force. It could maintain 4 to 6 arc lights of 4000 nominal candle power each. For six lights, 12 horse power was required, the machine making 1000 revolutions per minute[3]
1888 A syndicate was formed for testing Radcliffe Ward's system of electric street-traction (the driver steered the vehicle which was powered from accumulators), particularly an electric bus and a van for the Postal Service in London; it was named Ward Electric Car Co[4].
1896 After successful trials, a Company was formed, the London Electric Omnibus Co, to introduce Ward's system in London and other cities; it was expected to be considerably cheaper than the established system of horse-drawn vehicles[5].