Frederick Handley Page
Encyclopedia
Sir Frederick Handley Page, CBE
, FRAeS (15 November 1885 – 21 April 1962) was an English
industrialist who was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of aircraft
. His company Handley Page Limited produced a series of military aircraft, including the Halifax bomber
in World War II
, of which around 7,000 were produced. They also produced civil aircraft, including the H.P.42
, flagships of the Imperial Airways
fleet and remarkable at the time for no passenger deaths.
Page was the uncle of the World War II
flying ace Geoffrey Page
.
He was the son of Theodore Page, a furniture maker and Non-Conformist Minister of the Plymouth Brethren
. He married Una Thynne (1890–1957) in 1918; they had three daughters, Helen Anne, born on 5 November 1919 (m. Manley Walker, d. 2001); Phyllis (Elizabeth “Buffy”), on 10 December 1921 (m. Winfield, d. 1987), and Patricia (Mary), on 14 June 1923 (d. 1992).
His positions included:
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, FRAeS (15 November 1885 – 21 April 1962) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
industrialist who was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
. His company Handley Page Limited produced a series of military aircraft, including the Halifax bomber
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, of which around 7,000 were produced. They also produced civil aircraft, including the H.P.42
Handley Page H.P.42
The Handley Page H.P.42 and H.P.45 were British four-engine long-range biplane airliners designed to a 1928 Imperial Airways specification by Handley Page of Radlett in Hertfordshire....
, flagships of the Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
fleet and remarkable at the time for no passenger deaths.
Page was the uncle of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
flying ace Geoffrey Page
Geoffrey Page
Alan Geoffrey Page DSO, OBE, DFC & Bar was a British flying ace of the Second World War, and a founding member of the Guinea Pig Club.-Early life:...
.
He was the son of Theodore Page, a furniture maker and Non-Conformist Minister of the Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
. He married Una Thynne (1890–1957) in 1918; they had three daughters, Helen Anne, born on 5 November 1919 (m. Manley Walker, d. 2001); Phyllis (Elizabeth “Buffy”), on 10 December 1921 (m. Winfield, d. 1987), and Patricia (Mary), on 14 June 1923 (d. 1992).
His positions included:
- President of the Society of British Aircraft ConstructorsSociety of British Aircraft ConstructorsThe Society of British Aerospace Companies, known as SBAC was the UK's national trade association representing companies supplying civil air transport, aerospace defence, homeland security and space...
(SBAC) (1938-39 - he also served as honorary Treasurer and Chairman); - President of the Royal Aeronautical SocietyRoyal Aeronautical SocietyThe Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a multidisciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community.-Function:...
(RAeS) (1945-47 – and longstanding member of its Council); - Vice-Chairman of the Air Registration Board (for 20 years);
- President of the Institute of Transport (1945–46); and
- Chairman of the Board of Governors of the College of Aeronautics, Cranfield.