1919-1939: Inter war years

In 1920 a change in the Institution’s by-laws was made to allow for the formation of local branches. Branches were quickly formed in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, South Wales, Glasgow and a Western Branch at Bristol.

In 1922 new grades of membership – Student and Companion – were created.

In 1924 Verena Holmes became the first woman member to be elected becoming an Associate Member.

On April 22nd 1930 King George V signed the Institution’s Royal Charter allowing Members to refer to themselves as Chartered Mechanical Engineers.

In the mid-1930s the Institution commenced a tradition of holding conferences with a symposium on invention in 1934. The 1937 conference on lubrication is seen as a benchmark event in the history of that branch of engineering.