Willis Jackson, Baron Jackson of Burnley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Jackson of Burnley
|
|
|---|---|
| Born | 29 October 1904 |
| Died | 17 February 1970 (aged 65) |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester University of Oxford |
| Awards | Fellow of the Royal Society (1953) |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | UMIST Imperial College London |
Willis Jackson, Baron Jackson of Burnley (born October 29, 1904 – died February 17, 1970) was a brilliant British electrical engineer and technologist. He was known for his important work in the field of electricity and for helping to shape education in science and engineering. He became a life peer in 1967, which meant he was given a special title and could be part of the House of Lords, a part of the British Parliament.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Willis Jackson was born in Burnley, England. He was the only son of Herbert and Annie Jackson. He went to Rosegrove Primary School and then Burnley Grammar School until 1922.
He loved electrical engineering and studied it at the University of Manchester. In 1925, he earned a top-level Bachelor of Science degree. He had already won three different scholarships, showing how talented he was. The next year, in 1926, he earned his Master of Science degree.
Willis Jackson received many special degrees from universities later in his life. These included Doctor of Science degrees from places like the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the University of Bristol. He also received honorary Doctor of Engineering and Doctor of Laws degrees. These awards showed how much his work was respected around the world.
Career as an Engineer and Teacher
After finishing his studies, Jackson started his career as a teacher. He taught electrical engineering at Bradford Technical College (now the University of Bradford) until 1929. The next year, he worked as an apprentice at a big electrical company called Metropolitan-Vickers.
From 1930, he taught at the UMIST. Later, he moved to The Queen's College, Oxford, in 1933. He continued his own studies, earning a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Oxford and a Doctor of Science from Manchester in 1936.
After his studies, he returned to Vickers as a research engineer for two years. Then, he became a professor of electrotechnics (the study of electrical technology) at his old university. In 1946, he moved to Imperial College London to be a professor of electrical engineering.
In 1953, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a very high honor for scientists in the UK. After this, he went back to Vickers again. He became the director of their research and education department until 1961.
Willis Jackson was knighted in 1958, which meant he was given the title "Sir." He also led important engineering groups. He was president of the Institution of Electrical Engineers from 1958 to 1960. He also chaired the governing body of the Royal Technical Institute, Salford (now the University of Salford) until 1962.
He returned to Imperial College in 1961 and led the Electrical Engineering Department until he passed away in 1970. For his last three years there, he was the College's pro-rector, a senior leadership role. He also gave important speeches, like the one to the British Association in 1967 about "Science, Technology and Society." He wrote many books and articles about his research.
Working with the Government and Public Service
Willis Jackson also used his knowledge to help the government and public organizations. In 1944, he joined the Radio Research Board, which looked into radio technology. He was also part of the Central Advisory Council for the Ministry of Education from 1945.
He advised the Ministry of Supply on scientific matters from 1947. A year later, he joined the BBC's Engineering Advisory Committee. He also helped choose people for special scholarships called Commonwealth Fund Fellowships in 1951.
In 1953, he became a member of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service. From 1955, he was part of the University Grants Committee for ten years. This committee helped decide how money was given to universities. He also chaired a committee that looked at how to train technical teachers.
In 1961, he joined the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy. He also became president of the British Association for Commercial and Industrial Education in 1962. His work in these roles helped shape science, technology, and education policies in the UK.
On January 19, 1967, he was given a special honor: he became a life peer. This meant he was given the title Baron Jackson of Burnley, named after his hometown. This allowed him to take part in discussions and decisions in the House of Lords.
Awards and Special Recognition
Willis Jackson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1953. This honor recognized his important work. His nomination highlighted his studies on how electrical materials behave. He looked at how materials like plastics (polythene) and special ceramics (barium titanate) worked with electricity. This research was very important for developing radar and communication systems.
Personal Life
In 1938, Willis Jackson married Mary Boswall. Mary's father, Robert Oliphant Boswall, was also an engineer. Willis and Mary had two daughters.
One of his close friends was a physicist named John F. Allen. In his later years, Willis Jackson was a strong supporter of the development of the Indian Institutes of Technology. These are important engineering and technology schools in India.
