Pierre Young facts for kids

Pierre Henry John Young was a brilliant British mathematician. He was born on June 12, 1926, and passed away on August 4, 1985. He is best known for leading the team that developed the powerful engines for the famous Concorde airplane in the 1960s. He had French family roots, which helped him a lot in his work.

Early Life and Education

Pierre Young was born in France and grew up speaking French. He went to school at Lycée Condorcet in France. In 1938, he moved to England for school. During World War II, he was moved to a safer place in Herefordshire.

Later, he studied Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge. While he was at Cambridge, his excellent French language skills were very useful. He helped the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) foreign language service. He helped them send secret, coded messages to the French Resistance during the war.

A Career in Engineering

Pierre Young started his engineering career in 1949. He joined a company called Bristol Siddeley. By 1959, his hard work and talent led him to become an assistant chief engineer there.

Developing the Concorde Engine

In 1962, Pierre Young became the head of the entire engine program for the Concorde airplane. This was a huge and very important job! In 1966, another big company, Rolls-Royce, took over the engine project.

Pierre's ability to speak French was incredibly helpful during this time. It made it easier for the British and French teams to work together and become friends. This cooperation was key to the success of the Concorde project.

Pierre Young was often recognized for his work.

• On April 3, 1969, he appeared on a BBC1 TV show called 'The Change Makers'.
• He was there for the very first flight of Concorde in France on March 2, 1969. His deputy, Peter Calder, was also with him.

By the early 1970s, Pierre Young had become the Technical Director of the Bristol Engine Division at Rolls-Royce. He even gave a special talk about the Concorde on May 3, 1972, at the Bristol branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society. In February 1975, he was promoted to deputy technical director for all of Rolls-Royce.

His work was featured again on TV. On April 13, 1983, he was part of a BBC1 documentary called 'Faster than the Sun'. This show followed a Concorde flight, Speedbird 193, from London. It flew past places like Nova Scotia and Nantucket. Captain Brian Walpole and Christopher Orlebar were also part of this documentary.

In 1984, Pierre Young received a very important award, the RAeS Gold Medal, for his amazing contributions to aviation.

Personal Life

Pierre Young married Lily Cahn in 1953. Lily was born in Germany on July 14, 1928, and passed away on January 4, 1990. Her older brother was Robert W. Cahn, who was also a very respected scientist. Her nephew is Sir Andrew Cahn.

Pierre and Lily had two children, a son named Thomas and a daughter named Michele. Both of their children also went to the University of Cambridge, just like their father.