Edward Philip Paxman (1901-1949) of Davey, Paxman and Co
Trained with Metropolitan-Vickers.
Worked for Blackstone and Co.
1926 Joined Davey, Paxman and Co and became their Chief Engineer.
1949 Obituary [1]
"...Mr. Paxman, who was born in 1901, in Brussels, was the son of the late Mr. James N. Paxman, founder of the family firm. He was educated at Oundle School, and went to St. John's College, Cambridge, where he obtained a first-class honours degree in mechanical engineering. He had a period of training with Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company, Ltd., and then entered the employ of Blackstone and Co., Ltd., Stamford. He joined Davey, Paxman and Co., Ltd., in 1926, and shortly afterwards became chief engineer of the company Read more
1950 Obituary [2]
"EDWARD PHILIP PAXMAN, M.A., whose untimely death occurred on 25th March 1949, at the age of forty-seven, was managing director and chief engineer of Messrs. Davey, Paxman and Company, Ltd., of Colchester, and was also a director of Messrs. Ruston and Hornsby, Ltd., of Lincoln.
He was educated at Oundle School and at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in the mechanical science tripos in 1923, proceeding to the degree of M.A. four years later. His apprenticeship was served between 1923 and 1926 with Messrs. Blackstone and Company, Ltd., of Stamford, and with the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company, at Manchester.
He then joined his father's firm as manager of the newly formed Diesel-engine department, which remained under his personal charge to the end of his career. He was appointed chief engineer in 1930 and was made joint managing director in 1932. Five years later he became executive director, and since 1940 had held office as sole managing director. Mr. Paxman made a number of contributions to Diesel-engine design, amongst which was the use of exhaust-pressure turbo-charging for power station Diesel engines and the development of welded-steel-frame engines, which found application in almost all British submarines. Furthermore, he was closely concerned with the Admiralty's programme of development of high-duty high-speed engines, these experiments eventually leading to the considerable use made during the war of 1939-45 of engines of light-weight high-speed type for tank-landing craft and other vessels.
He also took a leading part in the development of Diesel-electric propulsion for ships, and did much to initiate the production of engine components in "shadow" factories and the final assembly and testing in two main factories of large numbers of engines for tank-landing craft. Mr. Paxman, who was elected a Member of the Institution in 1942, was also a member of the British Internal Combustion Engine Manufacturers' Association, a founder member and chairman of the Council of the British Internal Combustion Engine Research Association, and a Member of the Grand Council of the Federation of British Industries. He was elected Master of the Worshipful Company of Farriers in 1948, and was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts."