British Thomson-Houston

British Thomson-Houston (abbr .: BTH ) was a British mechanical engineering company based in Rugby (Warwickshire) , which was known for its electrotechnical products and steam turbines. The company was founded in May 1896 as the European subsidiary of General Electric (formerly Thomson-Houston Electric Company ). In 1900 a contract was signed which enabled British Thomson-Houston to act as an energy supplier. In 1902 a factory was opened that built electric motors and generators. At the same time, the company acquired a license for the production of steam turbines, the production of which began in 1904.

Also in 1904, the later electric car pioneer Sigmund Meyer rose to become the company's chief engineer.

In 1909, British Thomson-Houston supplied the electric generators to operate the electric tram in London. In 1911 the production of incandescent lamps started. Electrical equipment was produced for the British Navy during the First World War . After the war, the company opened branches in Willesden , Birmingham , Chesterfield and Lutterworth . In 1925, BTH delivered 21 conversion sets for the first rail electrification in South Africa.

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The company existed until 1928 when it was merged with Metropolitan-Vickers under the umbrella of Associated Electrical Industries . However, both remained largely independent until 1960.

In 1937, Frank Whittle created the first British jet engine at the Rugby plant . However, BTH did not take up the production of jet engines, but continued to manufacture magneto ignition systems for piston engines.

Web links

• Early documents and newspaper articles on British Thomson-Houston in the 20th century press kit of the ZBW - Leibniz Information Center for Economics .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Hans Christoph Graf von Seherr-Thoß:  Meyer, Sigmund (called Hans Sigismund). In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 17, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1994, ISBN 3-428-00198-2 , p. 373 f. ( Digitized version ).
2. ^ H Brazil: The South African Railways Electrification . In: Electrical Substations . Edward Arnold & Co, 1928, p. 110 (Retrieved January 12, 2010).