The Whitworth Society
Formation12 January 1923
FounderH. S. Hele-Shaw
Key people
President: Laura Gilbert
Websitewhitworthsociety.org
Handover of Presidential chain, medal and duties in 2016
Handover of Presidential office between Lee Griffiths (2016 President, right) to Howard Stone (2017 President, left) at The Manufacturing Technology Centre in front of Joseph Whitworth's portrait and lathe.

The Whitworth Society was founded in 1923 by Henry Selby Hele-Shaw, then president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Its purposes are to promote engineering in the United Kingdom, and more specifically to support all Whitworth Scholars, the recipients of a scholarship funded by Joseph Whitworth's scholarship scheme, which started in 1868.[1] A Whitworth Scholar is the result of completing a successful Whitworth Scholarship. Membership of the Society is limited to Whitworth Scholars, Senior Scholars, Fellows, Exhibitioners and Prizemen. The Society is a way for making contact with all successful "Whitworth's" and provides a way for making information contacts and connections from more senior members to recently successful Scholars. The Society also serves as a way to commemorate Joseph Whitworth and acknowledge his contributions to engineering education.[2]

Activities

Commemorative dinner and annual general meeting

The annual dinner and annual general meeting is held on the evening of 18 March (or nearest Friday to) to commemorate the date in 1868 when Joseph Whitworth wrote to Benjamin Disraeli, offering to found the Whitworth Scholarships. Traditionally the dinner has been held in London until more recent times where the meal and meeting is alternated, one-year London and one-year Manchester.

Summer meeting

There is a summer meeting held over two-days normally at the beginning of July. The event is largely informal and ordinarily arranged by the President of the Society.

Whitworth Register
An image of the Whitworth Register from 2007.

Record

A record of all scholars is kept by the Society, until recent years, this was in hardback form (see image) presented when an individual was elected a scholar. In recent times, the register is kept electronically and provided by USB flash drive as part of the awards ceremony.

Whitworth Scholarship

A Whitworth Scholarship, named after Joseph Whitworth, is an "award for outstanding engineers, who have excellent academic and practical skills and the qualities needed to succeed in industry, to take an engineering degree-level programme in any engineering discipline".[3]

Background

On 18 March 1868, Joseph Whitworth wrote to then Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli to fund 30 scholarships for the value of £100 for young men in the United Kingdom. This was met favourably by the Government at the time as minuted on 27 March 1868 by the council.[4] After the adoption of this by Government, Whitworth presented a memorandum setting out the requirements of the awards which included examinations in mathematics, mechanics, physics, and chemistry, including metallurgy and in the following handicrafts: Smith's Work, turning, filing, fitting, pattern making and moulding.[5]

Whitworth's intent was to support those individuals with practical skills, training, typically those who today have completed an apprenticeship who had the desire to continue onto further, higher education, university degree courses. The Scholarships continue over 150-years after inception of the idea.[6] In 2018 the prize money awarded is up to £5,450 per annum for an undergraduate programme and £8,250 per annum for a post graduate research programme. The prize money is still funded by the original money provided in Trust by Joseph Whitworth.

The criteria for a scholarship remains consistent with the original mandate of 1868, practical skills with aptitude for science and mathematic based academia. In 2018, the conditions for application for a scholarship are to:

  • Have pursued a vocational training route (i.e. apprenticeship) in an engineering discipline typically for at least 2 years after having left full-time education (generally UK secondary education or college based study) and before entering a degree-level engineering course.
  • Have obtained or will obtain an appropriate qualification for admission to the planned engineering degree-level programme of any engineering discipline.
  • Be British, Commonwealth or European Union citizen, and resident in the UK for at least 3 consecutive years immediately prior to undertaking study in the UK at a College of FE/HE or university[7]

In 1984, as a result of consultation with the Whitworth Society, the administration of the Awards and Scholarship programmes was transferred from the Department of Education & Science (at the time) to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.[8]

Current scholarship

Whitworth Medal
Whitworth Medal, presented to successful Scholars and engraved on the outside diameter with the individual's name. These are produced by the Royal Mint, London in Bronze.

Today, the scholarship programme lasts for the duration of an individual's academic studies, typically 3–4 years of full-time degree studies. During this time, the individuals are termed "award holders".[9]

If the continued monitoring of progress and overall academic achievement is deemed satisfactory, the award holder becomes a Whitworth Scholar. This occasion is commemorated at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Vision Awards ceremony ordinarily carried out in the September/October period of each year.[10]

Whitworth Scholar

A Whitworth Scholar is the accolade given to those who have successfully completed a Whitworth Scholarship. It is rare on the basis that only a small number of scholarships are issued each year which has quite specific application conditions and a tough review process.

A Whitworth Scholar is permitted to use the post-nominal letters, Wh.Sch.

Whitworth Scholar Certificate
An example certificate presented to an individual when they have been elected a Whitworth Scholar.

Typically there is an awards ceremony for the successful scholars where a certificate and medal (shown opposite) are presented. In recent years forms part of the IMechE's vision awards in September/October time each year.

Post nominals

There are recognised post-nominals which are permitted to be used after an individual's name. They are as follows.

Post Nominal Designation
WhSch Whitworth Scholarship
WhSSch Whitworth Senior Scholar
WhEx Whitworth Exhibitioner
WhF Whitworth Fellow
WhPr Whitworth Prizeman

Officers

No. Year of Taking Office President Honorary Treasurer Honorary Secretary
1 1923 Henry Selby Hele-Shaw D. A. Low E. R. Dolby
2 1924 R. B. Buckley
3 1925 Williamm Sisson
4 1926 F. P. Purvis
5 1927 Thomas Sugden
6 1928 F. H. Livens
7 1929 W. H. Fowler
8 1930 Henry Fowler
9 1931 F. C. Lea
10 1932 D. A. Low
11 1933 E. R. Dolby S. J. Davies
12 1934 Charles Day
13 1935 Ernest George Coker J. Hamilton Gibson
14 1936 Henry Japp
15 1937 A. Havelock Case
16 1938 W. Price Abell
17 1939 Edmund Bruce Ball
18 1940 Asa Binns
19 1941 A. L. Mellanby I. V. Robinson
20 1945 Harry Wimperis
21 1946 L. H. Hounsfield
22 1947 Andrew Robertson F. T. Barwell
23 1948 I. V. Robinson
24 1949 H. Shoosmith
25 1950 H. H. Johnson
26 1951 S. F. Dorey
27 1952 Henry Lewis Guy
28 1953 S. J. Davies
29 1954 A. R. Valon
30 1955 Richard William Bailey
31 1956 P. L. Jones
32 1957 E. Markham F. T. Barwell R. G. Woolacott
33 1958 G. W. Daniels
34 1959 A. Hoare (to Dec 1959)
35 1959 G. W. Daniels (from Dec 1959)
36 1960 F. H. Reid
37 1961 W. Ker Wilson
38 1962 A. Sykes
39 1963 Douglas George Sopwith
40 1964 W. F. Harlow
41 1965 R. J. Welsh M. J. Neale
42 1966 F. T. Barwell
43 1967 E. C. Mills
44 1968 J. Diamond
45 1969 P. P. Love
46 1970 D. H. New
47 1971 D. W. Ginns
48 1972 Herbert Haslegrave
49 1973 Hugh Ford
50 1974 N. E. Rowe
51 1975 R. G. Voysey E. K. Armstrong M. J. C. Swainston
52 1976 M. J. Neale
53 1977 J. W. Drinkwater
54 1978 Joseph A. Pope
55 1979 J. G. Watkins
56 1980 M. D. Wood
57 1981 T. Matthewson-Dick
58 1982 H. G. R. Robinson
59 1983 A. G. Gledhill
60 1984 R. G. Woolacott
61 1985 Denning Pearson
62 1986 L. I. Farren
63 1987 G. W. Watson
64 1988 R. A. Hore F. M. Burrows
65 1989 W. G. N. Buckland
66 1990 E. K. Armstrong
67 1991 M. J. C. Swainston
68 1992 R. A. Clarke
69 1993 J. H. Weaving
70 1994 G. M. Ward.
71 1995 H. J. C. Weighell B. M. Coaker F. M. Burrows
72 1996 K. Patricia Baglin
73 1997 D. J. Faulkner
74 1998 P. C. Young
75 1999 D. L. Clamp
76 2000 R. J. Mistry
77 2001 M. D. Black
78 2002 B. J. Hutchinson
79 2003 B. M. Coaker
80 2004 D. J. Wood
81 2005 S. T. Beck
82 2006 M. A. Comer
83 2007 S. Davison
84 2008 P. Whyman
85 2009 H. B. J. Stone
86 2010 V. J. (Bradley) Sims
87 2011 D. G. Eaves V. J. (Bradley) Sims
88 2012 G. Cooke
89 2013 K. D. Dearn
90 2014 S. A. Witting
91 2015 B. H. Hughes
92 2016 L. M. Griffiths
93 2017 H. B. J. Stone Rachael Hoyle
94 2018 B. M. Coaker
95 2019 James Potten Michael F. Kelly
96 2020 Jenny Kenny
97 2021 Laura Gilbert
98 2022 Chris Sidney
99 2023 Kevin Urquhart
Source:[11]

See also

References

  1. "Professional Engineer / IMechE Article: FEATURE: Engineering hero and Victorian visionary Sir Joseph Whitworth".
  2. Whitworth Award Holder Information Booklet, 2017. 2017. p. 5.
  3. "Whitworth Scholarship Awards: IMechE Awards Programme".
  4. Whitworth Society Register, 2017. p. 24.
  5. Whitworth Society Register, 2017. p. 25.
  6. "Whitworth Society Home Page". whitworthscholarships.org.uk/. 11 January 2019.
  7. "Conditions of Whitworth Scholarship Awards".
  8. Whitworth Society Register, 2017. p. 31.
  9. Rikki, Jones. "Whitworth Scholarship Case Study".
  10. "IMechE Scholarship & Awards".
  11. THE WHITWORTH REGISTER 2017. 2018. pp. 36, 37, 38.
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