Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company
Encyclopedia
Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company was a company founded in 1881 by Horace Darwin
(1851-1928) and Albert George Dew-Smith (1848-1903) to manufacture scientific instruments
.
Darwin was first apprenticed to an engineering firm in Kent, and returned to Cambridge in 1875. Dew-Smith was an engineer, photographer and instrument maker who was at Trinity College, Cambridge
with Darwin. Darwin's grandson Erasmus Darwin Barlow
was later chairman.
Their partnership
became a Limited Liability Company
in 1895. In 1920 it took over the R.W. Paul Instrument Company of London
, and became The Cambridge and Paul Instrument Company Ltd. The name was shortened to the Cambridge Instrument Company Ltd. in 1924 when it was converted to a Public limited company
. The company was finally taken over by the George Kent Group in 1968, forming the largest independent British manufacturer of industrial instruments.
Several early employees went on to further renown, including Robert Stewart Whipple
, who was appointed personal assistant to Horace Darwin in 1898, and later became Managing Director and Chairman of the company. His collection of scientific instruments later formed the basis of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science
in 1944. William G. Pye
, who had joined as foreman in 1880, left in 1898 to form the W.G. Pye Instrument Company with his son, which ultimately become the Pye group of companies.
The Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company was renamed, together with its sister companies from the USA, in March 2011 to become Ellutia.
Horace Darwin
Sir Horace Darwin, KBE, FRS , a son of the English naturalist Charles Darwin, was a civil engineer.Darwin was born in Down House in 1851, the fifth son and ninth child of the British naturalist Charles Darwin and his wife Emma, the youngest of their seven children that survived to adulthood.He was...
(1851-1928) and Albert George Dew-Smith (1848-1903) to manufacture scientific instruments
Measuring instrument
In the physical sciences, quality assurance, and engineering, measurement is the activity of obtaining and comparing physical quantities of real-world objects and events. Established standard objects and events are used as units, and the process of measurement gives a number relating the item...
.
Darwin was first apprenticed to an engineering firm in Kent, and returned to Cambridge in 1875. Dew-Smith was an engineer, photographer and instrument maker who was at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
with Darwin. Darwin's grandson Erasmus Darwin Barlow
Erasmus Darwin Barlow
Erasmus Darwin Barlow FRCPsych FZS was a British psychiatrist, physiologist and businessman.Born in London in 1915, he was the second son of Sir Alan Barlow, son of Sir Thomas Barlow, royal physician. His mother was Lady Nora Barlow, daughter of Sir Horace Darwin. He was a great-grandson of the...
was later chairman.
Their partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
became a Limited Liability Company
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
in 1895. In 1920 it took over the R.W. Paul Instrument Company of London
Robert W. Paul
Robert W. Paul was a British electrician, scientific instrument maker and early pioneer of British film.-Early career:...
, and became The Cambridge and Paul Instrument Company Ltd. The name was shortened to the Cambridge Instrument Company Ltd. in 1924 when it was converted to a Public limited company
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
. The company was finally taken over by the George Kent Group in 1968, forming the largest independent British manufacturer of industrial instruments.
Several early employees went on to further renown, including Robert Stewart Whipple
Robert Stewart Whipple
Robert Stewart Whipple was an author and collector of science books and scientific instruments. He amassed a unique collection of antique scientific instruments that he later donated to found the Whipple Museum of the History of Science in 1944....
, who was appointed personal assistant to Horace Darwin in 1898, and later became Managing Director and Chairman of the company. His collection of scientific instruments later formed the basis of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science
Whipple Museum of the History of Science
The Whipple Museum of the History of Science holds an extensive collection of scientific instruments, apparatus, models, pictures, prints, photographs, books and other material related to the history of science. It was founded in 1944, when Robert Whipple presented his collection of scientific...
in 1944. William G. Pye
William George Pye
William George Pye was born on 27 October 1869 at Battersea, London.In 1896 he started a company called W G Pye which manufactured scientific and optical equipment....
, who had joined as foreman in 1880, left in 1898 to form the W.G. Pye Instrument Company with his son, which ultimately become the Pye group of companies.
The Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company was renamed, together with its sister companies from the USA, in March 2011 to become Ellutia.