George Herbert Skinner (1872–1931) was a British boot and shoe manufacturer, enthusiastic pioneer motorist[1] and inventor of a well-known carburettor which remained in production almost the entire twentieth century until superseded by fuel injection systems.
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| Born | 1872 | ||||||||||||||
| Died | 29 December 1931 (aged 58–59) | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Sports shooting | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Biography
editHerbert Skinner was born in 1872 in Wellingborough, the eldest son of boot and shoe manufacturer William Banks Skinner (1847-1914) and his wife born Jane Lilley.[2] In 1881 Banks Skinner entered into a partnership with his brother-in-law, Thomas Lilley (1845-1916). They built a very successful footwear manufacturing and retailing business Lilley & Skinner.
The eldest son, Herbert Skinner, followed his father in the management of Lilley & Skinner.[3] He brought back Britain's first modern shoe-making machinery from an 1895 visit to USA.[1]
He acquired his first car in 1898 and actively participated in the development of the petrol engine.[1] Herbert, with his brother Carl, Thomas Carlisle Skinner (1882-1958), made a newly developed carburettor in 1904.[4] In February 1905, Herbert applied for a full patent[5] which was granted in January 1906.[6] The new carburettor was made for the Skinner brothers by G Wailes & Co of Euston Road until the brothers formed a limited liability company in August 1910[note 1] to manufacture it themselves.[1] The original brand name Union Carburettor was changed to S. U. carburettor, an abbreviation of Skinner-Union.[7][8][9][10] Younger brother, Carl (Thomas Carlisle) Skinner (1882-1958) sold out of Lilley & Skinner and took over the carburettor business. Herbert remained with Lilley and Skinner[11] and continued to patent improvements to his carburettor.[4][12]
He was one of the founders and the vice-president of the Institute of Patentees and well-known in the City of London as an active member of the Cordwainers' Company. He represented England as a clay bird shot in the 1908 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal.[1][13]
Herbert was the father of Professor Herbert Skinner. He did not believe in early schooling. His son was nine years old before he entered Durston House School at Ealing.[5]
Herbert Skinner died suddenly at his house in Woodville Road, Ealing, on 29 December 1931, aged 59.[14]
Notes
edit- ^ S. U. Company Limited, 386—388 Euston Road, N.W. Capital £5,000 in £1 shares. Formed to acquire from G. H. Skinner certain inventions relating to carburettors for motorcars &c
New Companies Registered. Private Companies. The Automotor Journal, 24 September 1910
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Obituary. Mr. G. H. Skinner. The Times, Wednesday, Jan 06, 1932; pg. 12; Issue 46023
- ^ FindMyPast census records
- ^ 'Lilley & Skinner, The Times, Tuesday, Jun 02, 1896; pg. 14; Issue 34906
- ^ a b E A Forward, Handbook of the Collections illustrating Land Transport, II. Mechanical Road Vehicles, Science Museum South Kensington, 1936
- ^ a b H. Jones: Herbert Wakefield Banks Skinner. 1900-1960. Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, Vol.6, (Nov. 1960), pp.259-268, publisher: The Royal Society
- ^ 3257 G H Skinner, Carburetting apparatus. reported in page 152, AutoMotor Journal 3 February 1906
- ^ Profile Professor Herbert Skinner, The New Scientist 14 November 1957
- ^ James Leasor, Wheels to Fortune, Stratus, Cornwall 2001 ISBN 0755100476
- ^ Colin Campbell, Tuning for Economy, Springer 1981 ISBN 9780412234903
- ^ Nick Meikle, Malloch's Spitfire: The Story and Restoration of PK350, Casemate 2014 ISBN 9781612002521
- ^ Obituary. Mr. Thomas C. Skinner The Times, Saturday, Nov 15, 1958; pg. 10; Issue 54309
- ^ Skinner-Union Carburettor Improvement. page 28, The Commercial Motor, 24 August 1920
- ^ "George Skinner". Olympedia. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Deaths. The Times, Thursday, Dec 31, 1931; pg. 1; Issue 46018
