Hirst Research Centre
Encyclopedia
GEC Hirst Research Centre was one of the first specialised industrial research laboratories to be built in Britain, and was part of the General Electric Company plc empire. As such it paved the way for its own demise since it was impossible to wire it up properly for modern ethernet
type connections, this as much as anything lead to its demolition in the 1990s.
It was named after Hugo Hirst
, one of the founders of the company that would become General Electric Company plc. One of the centre's most famous achievements was the production of the cavity magnetron
during World War II
, the concept of which was established by Randall and Boot
working at Birmingham University
. Staff of the center were also important in developing radars for use during the war. The 60 m Radio mast at the back of the building became, along with Wembley Stadium, one of the landmarks of the area. Hirst was also instrumental in setting up the National Grid system which provides power to the whole of the UK.
The research centre was based in East Lane, Wembley
, Middlesex
, UK, and then in the 1990s moved to Borehamwood
, UK.
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
type connections, this as much as anything lead to its demolition in the 1990s.
It was named after Hugo Hirst
Baron Hirst
Hugo Hirst, 1st Baron Hirst , known as Sir Hugo Hirst, Bt, between 1925 and 1934, was a German-born British industrialist....
, one of the founders of the company that would become General Electric Company plc. One of the centre's most famous achievements was the production of the cavity magnetron
Cavity magnetron
The cavity magnetron is a high-powered vacuum tube that generates microwaves using the interaction of a stream of electrons with a magnetic field. The 'resonant' cavity magnetron variant of the earlier magnetron tube was invented by John Randall and Harry Boot in 1940 at the University of...
during 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...
, the concept of which was established by Randall and Boot
Harry Boot
Henry Albert Howard "Harry" Boot was an English physicist who with Sir John Randall and James Sayers developed the cavity magnetron, which was one of the keys to the Allied victory in the Second World War.-Biography:...
working at Birmingham University
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. Staff of the center were also important in developing radars for use during the war. The 60 m Radio mast at the back of the building became, along with Wembley Stadium, one of the landmarks of the area. Hirst was also instrumental in setting up the National Grid system which provides power to the whole of the UK.
The research centre was based in East Lane, Wembley
Wembley
Wembley is an area of northwest London, England, and part of the London Borough of Brent. It is home to the famous Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, UK, and then in the 1990s moved to Borehamwood
Borehamwood
-Film industry:Since the 1920s, the town has been home to several film studios and many shots of its streets are included in final cuts of 20th century British films. This earned it the nickname of the "British Hollywood"...
, UK.
Notable Hirst employees and scientists
- Derek AbbottDerek AbbottDerek Abbott is a physicist and electronic engineer. He is a Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Adelaide, Australia...
- Colin CherryColin CherryEdward Colin Cherry was a British cognitive scientist whose main contributions were in focused auditory attention, specifically regarding the cocktail party problem. This concerns the problem of following only one conversation while many other conversations are going on around us...
- Robert James ClaytonRobert James ClaytonSir Robert James Clayton CBE, electronics engineer, was notable in the area of defense and industrial electronics...
- Paul HendricksPaul HendricksPaul Hendricks is a British Roman Catholic clergyman, currently serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and Titular Bishop of Rosemarkie.- Early life :...
- Cyril HilsumCyril HilsumCyril Hilsum CBE FRS FREng HonFInstP is a British physicist and academic.-Life:He entered Raine's Foundation School in 1936 as the middle of three brothers, leaving in 1943 after being accepted into University College London, where he did his Bsc. In 1945 he joined the Royal Naval Scientific...
- Daryl E. HooperDaryl E. HooperDaryl Egbert Hooper was an electronic engineer notable for pioneering engineering at La Trobe University and heading up the GEC Research Hirst Centre in the 1980s. He is also notable for his textbook on amplifier design.-Education:...
- Sanjay JhaSanjay JhaSanjay K. Jha is chairman and chief executive officer of Motorola Mobility and previously served as co-chief executive officer of Motorola. from 2008.-Early life:...
- Bernard de NeumannBernard de NeumannFrederick Bernard de Neumann is a British mathematician, computer scientist, inventor, and naval historian. In Austria and Germany he is known as Bernhard von Neumann....
- Michael PepperMichael PepperSir Michael Pepper FRS FInstP is a British physicist notable for his work in semiconductor nanostructures.-Education:Sir Michael went to school at St Marylebone Grammar, then gained a BSc and PhD from the University of Reading and an MA and ScD from Cambridge University.-Career:Sir Michael was a...
- Michael John SmithMichael John Smith (Espionage)Michael John Smith was born on 22 September 1948. He was charged in the UK with four offences under sections 1 and the Official Secrets Act 1911 in 1992 and convicted on the three of charges under section 1. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. This was later reduced to 20 years on appeal in...
- Daniel Vincent McCaughan
See also
- Marconi Research CentreMarconi Research CentreMarconi Research Centre is the former name of the current BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre facility at Great Baddow in Essex, United Kingdom...
- General Electric Company plc
- John G. BennettJohn G. BennettJohn Godolphin Bennett, was a British mathematician, scientist, technologist, industrial research director, and author. He is perhaps best known for his many books on psychology and spirituality, and particularly the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff...
- GEC-Marconi scientist deaths conspiracy theory