For International Women’s Day 2020 we are highlighting the work of renowned aeronautical engineer Beatrice Shilling.
In 1956 Beatrice Naylor (nee Shilling), 1909-1990, joined the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as an Associate Member, thus adding Chartered Engineer (CEng) to her portfolio of qualifications.
Image taken from volume 10 of The Woman Engineer. Courtesy of the Women’s Engineering Society and The IET Archives.
Beatrice made her application in 1956 shortly after being promoted to the post of Senior Principle Scientific Officer (Special Merit) in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) in Farnborough.
The Institution holds Beatrice’s original membership proposal form in its archive collections and it is that form that we wish to highlight on International Women’s Day 2020.
Beatrice’s proposal form outlined, in her own words, her general and technical educational, practical training and career to date.
Beatrice began her engineering career in the same way that many engineers make their first forays into the profession; with practical training – more commonly known as an apprenticeship. Despite being best known as an aeronautical engineer, Beatrice’s apprenticeship was as an electrical engineer with M. Partridge and Co. Limited, an electrical consulting firm set up by Margaret Partridge – a founder of the Women’s Engineering Society (WES).
After an apprenticeship of 2.5 years, Beatrice went to Manchester University to read their BSc (Engineering). Beatrice was one of two women in her cohort during the first year that women were admitted to the course.
Beatrice gained further practical experience by taking a vacation course with Ferranti Ltd (an electrical engineering and equipment firm) during her degree.
Beatrice graduated with 2nd class honours and stayed on at Manchester to take an MSc in Mechanical Engineering after which she undertook postgraduate research on internal combustion engines. One of the academics under whom she worked would later go on to act as a referee to Beatrice’s application to become an IMechE member.
In 1936 Beatrice started her employment with the RAE. Her first post, lasting six months, was as an assistant in the Technical Publications Department working on the preparation of aircraft engine repair and overhaul manuals. Beatrice then moved to the engine department where she would stay for almost a decade. It was in this department that she worked with experimental carburation, also known as carburettors – a post which would lead to the triumph of engineering for which Beatrice is best known.
The membership proposal form completed by Beatrice asked candidates to describe “brief details of most important mechanical engineering work for which the candidate has been personally responsible” and it was here that Beatrice summarised, in her own words, the RAE-Hobson carburettor.
“the RAE-Hobson injection carburettor was developed initially at the RAE and I was responsible for the design of the prototype carburettor flown in a Wellesley aircraft. This carburettor metered the fuel according to the engine boost pressure and temperature, the rpm and the back pressure. The fuel was injected at the supercharger [unknown]. It was not affected by icing or negative g.”
The RAE-Hobson carburettor was the result of several years of research, testing and development. Among this development was the flow restrictor (commonly referred to as “Miss Tilly’s Orifice”) for which Beatrice is best known. The flow restrictor solved engine cut outs that were occurring in Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes being used by the RAF in the Battle of Britain.
Beatrice stayed with the RAE for the rest of her career gaining experience and undertaking research in the rocket propulsion and guided weapons department among others.
IMechE Archive and Library 