Obituary

Obituary

OBITUARY J O H N STANLEY CLARKE, O.B.E., Ph.D., F.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S. DR J. S. CLARKE, was born on 5 September 1904 and educated at Market Harboroug...

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OBITUARY

J O H N STANLEY CLARKE, O.B.E., Ph.D., F.I.Mech.E., F.R.Ae.S. DR J. S. CLARKE, was born on 5 September 1904 and educated at Market Harborough Grammar School. After serving an apprenticeship at the English Electric Co. at Rugby he entered Birmingham University where he obtained a Ph.D. degree for work carried out under the late Professor F. W. BURSTALL. He then entered the Research Section of the City of Birmingham Gas Department. After the outbreak of war he was seconded in 1940 to Joseph Lucas Ltd who were developing the combustion systems for gas turbine engines. The work started at Shaftmoor Lage, Birmingham, was later transferred to Burnley where a large and fully equipped laboratory was set up under his direction. These laboratories were later extended to cover not only tests at full operating pressures at ground level but also conditions of high altitude operation and rendered invaluable services to the Gas Turbine Industry, the Services and to aviation in general. While at Burnley Dr CLARKEwas responsible not only for the laboratory work but also for the design of the combustion systems of the majority of the leading gas turbine manufacturers. Later after a suitable staff had been trained at Burnley Dr CLARKEwas transferred to Birmingham as Head of Research of the whole Lucas Organization and in 1959 became Chief Engineer of the Lucas Group. He took a very active interest in institutional work, particularly the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Aeronautical Society--when the British Section of the Combustion lnsti° tute was started by the late Sir ALFREDEGERTON,Dr CLARKEwas appointed Treasurer. He succeeded in obtaining the funds needed to launch the Section and to back up the international symposium which was held in London and Oxford in 1958. He was subsequently elected to the Board of Directors of the Combustion Institute. He helped organize and was Honorary President of the Tenth Symposium which was held at Cambridge in 1964. In the Autumn of 1964 Dr CLARrm was the victim of a stroke. After a period of convalescence he acted as Chief Consultant to his firm of Joseph Lucas Ltd, but unfortunately his condition gradually deteriorated until his death on the 29 June 1969. He was an indefatigable worker who not only worked hard himself but was able to inspire his staff and colleagues and endeared himself to them by his personal and human qualities. E. A. WATSON

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