William Hawthorne facts for kids

Sir William Rede Hawthorne (born May 2, 1913 – died September 16, 2011) was a British engineering professor. He was famous for his important work on the jet engine. He also helped create a special type of flexible barge for carrying liquids.

Early Life and Education

William Hawthorne was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. His father was a civil engineer. William had two younger brothers, John and Edward.

He went to Westminster School in London. Later, he studied math and engineering at Trinity College, Cambridge. He finished his studies there in 1934 with top grades.

After Cambridge, he worked for two years at a company called Babcock & Wilcox. Then, he went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. There, he studied how flames work and earned a special science degree (ScD) in 1938.

In 1939, he married Barbara Runkle. They had one son and two daughters.

Working on Jet Engines

After his time at MIT, William Hawthorne returned to Babcock & Wilcox. In 1940, he joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in Farnborough, England. This was a place where new aircraft technologies were developed.

From RAE, he was sent to Power Jets Ltd. There, he worked with Frank Whittle, who is known as the inventor of the jet engine. Hawthorne's job was to help develop the combustion chamber for the jet engine. This is where fuel mixes with air and burns to create thrust.

He used his knowledge of how fuel and air mix in flames. His team created combustion chambers that were used in the first British jet aircraft. This was a huge step forward in aviation!

Professor and Inventor

In 1945, William Hawthorne became a Deputy Director at the British Ministry of Supply. A year later, he went back to America. He became a professor of engineering at MIT. By age 35, he was named the George Westinghouse Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

In 1951, he returned to Cambridge, UK. He became the first Hopkinson and Imperial Chemical Industries Professor of Applied Thermodynamics. At Cambridge, he did important work on how energy is lost in machines like jet engines. He also helped create the Turbomachinery Laboratory.

The Dracone Barge

After the Suez Crisis in the 1950s, there was a shortage of oil. William Hawthorne became very interested in energy. This led him to invent and develop the Dracone.

A Dracone is a large, flexible barge. It can be used to transport oil, fresh water, or other liquids across the sea. It's like a giant, flexible bag that floats. The name "Dracone" might have come from a science fiction book about a similar type of tanker.

Hawthorne was also active on many groups that advised on energy matters. He was the chairman of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation starting in 1974.

Awards and Leadership

William Hawthorne was recognized for his important contributions.

• In 1955, he was elected a member of the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group of scientists.
• In 1970, he was knighted, which means he received the title "Sir."
• In 1968, he became the head of the Engineering Department at Cambridge University.
• In the same year, he was also appointed Master of Churchill College, Cambridge. He held this important leadership role until 1983.

A Touch of Magic

From 1970 to 1990, Sir William Hawthorne was the President of the Pentacle Club. This club is for people who enjoy performing magic tricks. He was known for his magic skills. People at Churchill College still remember him as "the man who made cheese rolls come out from behind his ears"!