George Horatio Nelson, 1st Baron Nelson of Stafford (26 October 1887 – 16 July 1962), known as Sir George Nelson, 1st Baronet, from 1955 to 1960, was a British engineer who was chairman of

English Electric N.º UIC: 9094 110 1449-3 (Takargo Rail) The English Electric Company Limited (EE) was a British industrial manufacturer formed after the Armistice of 11 November 1918, armistice of World War I by amalgamating five businesses which, during th ...

from 1933 to 1962. Over nearly thirty years as its chairman George Nelson built up the number of English Electric's employees from 4,000 to 80,000.

Early life, education and family

Nelson was born in

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...

, London, the son of George Nelson, a member of a Leicestershire family of textile merchants. Educated at the

City and Guilds Central Technical College The City and Guilds of London Institute is an educational organisation in the United Kingdom. Founded on 11 November 1878 by the City of London and 16 livery companies – to develop a national system of technical education, the institute has ...

in London he obtained a studentship at Brush Electrical Engineering in Loughborough for practical experience on the shop floor and in the drawing office.Lord Nelson of Stafford. ''The Times'', Tuesday, 17 Jul 1962; pg. 12; Issue 55445 Nelson married Florence Mabel, daughter of Henry Howe, in 1913. They had a daughter and a son. He died in July 1962 and Lady Nelson died the same year. He was succeeded in the barony by his only son,

Henry George Henry George (September 2, 1839 – October 29, 1897) was an American political economist and journalist. His writing was immensely popular in 19th-century America and sparked several reform movements of the Progressive Era. He inspired the eco ...

, who had followed him in 1956 as managing director and, after his death in 1962, as chairman of

Career

Early career and English Electric

He joined

British Westinghouse British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company was a subsidiary of the Pittsburgh, USA based Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. British Westinghouse would become a subsidiary of Metropolitan-Vickers in 1919; and after Metr ...

in Manchester and rapidly progressed, being appointed chief electrical superintendent in 1914 aged 27. Westinghouse became Metropolitan Vickers Electrical and in 1920 Nelson was appointed manager of their Sheffield works, which specialised in

electric traction A railway electrification system supplies electric power to railway trains and trams without an on-board prime mover or local fuel supply. Electric railways use either electric locomotives (hauling passengers or freight in separate cars), ele ...

. In 1930, he was appointed managing director of

at the invitation of Sir Holberry Mensforth, with whom he worked at Westinghouse and who was now chairman of the financially troubled manufacturing firm, brought in during a period of reconstruction. Mensforth retired in 1933 and Nelson succeed him as chairman while retaining his position of managing director. He remained at the company for the duration of his career and he died at their Stafford premises on 16 July 1962. During his tenure the number of employees rose from 4,000 to 80,000 with a more than proportionate increase in turnover.

Public activities

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Nelson held a number of positions: * As chairman of the British Tank Mission he hammered out a joint policy for tank development and production with American industry and the US Army and Canada * Served on the Heavy Bomber Group Committee of the Air Ministry, 1939–1945 * The

Reconstruction Joint Advisory Council Reconstruction may refer to: Politics, history, and sociology *Reconstruction (law), the transfer of a company's (or several companies') business to a new company *'' Perestroika'' (Russian for "reconstruction"), a late 20th century Soviet Unio ...

, 1943–1944 * The Higher Technological Education Committee, 1944–1945 * Chairman of the Census of Production Committee, 1945 * President of the

Federation of British Industries The Federation of British Industries (FBI) was an employers' association in the United Kingdom. Founded by the Midlands industrialist Dudley Docker in 1916 as the United British Industries' Association, but renamed later that same year, it was ini ...

, 1943–1944 Following the war, Nelson took an interest in the improvement of technical education and became a member of the governing bodies of

Imperial College of Science and Technology Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

Manchester College of Science and Technology , mottoeng = By Knowledge and Work , established = 1824 , closed = 2004 (merged into newly formed University of Manchester in 2004) , affiliation = , endowment = , officer_in_charge = , chairman ...

and

Queen Mary College , mottoeng = With united powers , established = 1785 – The London Hospital Medical College1843 – St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College1882 – Westfield College1887 – East London College/Queen Mary College , type = Public researc ...

in the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

. He also served as President of the

Institution of Electrical Engineers The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and Information Technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. It began in 1871 as the Society of Te ...

(1955), President of the

Institution of Mechanical Engineers The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 120,000 member ...

(1957), President of the

British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers Association British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

(1950–1953), President of the

Locomotive and Allied Manufacturers Association A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the u ...

(1950–1953), and Prime Warden of the

Goldsmiths' Company The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, commonly known as the Goldsmiths' Company and formally titled The Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of Goldsmiths of the City of London, is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of Londo ...

(1960).

Honours

In the 1943 New Year Honours he was appointed a

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

for services to Ministry of Aircraft Production and Ministry of Supply. He was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

, of Hilcote Hall in the County of Stafford, in 1955, before being raised to the

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Belgi ...

on 20 January 1960 as Baron Nelson of Stafford, of Hilcote Hall in the County of Stafford.

Imperial College Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cu ...

made him an honorary fellow in 1955 and granted him an honorary diploma, Manchester University gave him an honorary LLD in 1957 and he was given the freedom of the city of Stafford 1956. The Stafford Site Library of

Staffordshire University , mottoeng = Dare to know , type = Public , endowment = £70 million (2015) , administrative_staff = 1,375 , chancellor = Francis Fitzherbert, 15th Baron Stafford , vice_chancellor = Professor Martin Jones , ...

was named after him in honour of his contribution to the engineering industry.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson Of Stafford, George Nelson, 1st Baron 1887 births 1962 deaths People from Islington (district) English electrical engineers English mechanical engineers Knights Bachelor Hereditary barons created by Elizabeth II Engineers from London 20th-century English businesspeople