William Farren (engineer)

Sir William Farren CB MBE FRS (3 April 1892 – 3 July 1970) was a British aeronautical engineer, and the former technical director of the Manchester-based aircraft company Avro during the 1950s.

Early life

He attended The Perse School in Cambridge, then attended Trinity College, Cambridge from October 1911, studying Mechanical Sciences.

Career

University of Cambridge

From 1920-37 he was a lecturer in Engineering and Aeronautics at the University of Cambridge, under Sir Melvill Jones, being a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. Whilst at Cambridge, he sat on the Aeronautical Research Committee.

Air Ministry

From 1937-39 he was deputy Director of Research at the Air Ministry, and from 1939-40 at the Minister of Aircraft Production, then from 1940-41 he was Director of Technical Development; in this position he helped Avro to develop the Avro Lancaster, then known as the Avro 683 which was developed at the factory at Chadderton.[1] The chief executive of MAP was Air Chief Marshal Sir Wilfrid Freeman, with his deputy Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder.

Operation Surgeon

In 1945 he was appointed to lead a team of scientists known as Operation Surgeon.

Avro

From 1947-61 (until the company's demise) he was Technical Director of Avro. He was appointed to Avro immediately after the death of its Chief Designer Roy Chadwick, which had stunned the company's workforce. He retired in August 1961.

Personal life

He was awarded the MBE in 1918. He was awarded the CB in the 1943 Birthday Honours. He became an FRS in 1945. He was knighted in the 1952 Birthday Honours. He married in August 1917 (with a daughter born in August 1919, who died in 1980 aged 61); his wife died on 28 February 1963. He then married the former headmistress from 1927-55 of Bradford Girls' Grammar School in October 1963. He died in 1970 aged 78; he was ill for the last five years of his life. He lived west of Cambridge. He went sailing near his house at Burnham Overy in Norfolk.

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References

Lancaster: The Second World War's Greatest Bomber

Business positions
Preceded by Roy Chadwick	Technical Director of Avro 1947 - August 1961	Succeeded by Company defunct
Professional and academic associations
Preceded by	President of the Royal Aeronautical Society 1953-1954	Succeeded by Sir Sydney Camm

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[1] Lancaster: The Second World War's Greatest Bomber