1976: Ewen M'Ewen

Ewen M'Ewen (1916-1993)

91st President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

M’Ewen was born in Asuncion, Paraguay, in 1916.

His father was a mining engineer. He was educated at Merchiston and University College, London, graduating in 1935 with BSc (Eng) with first class honours in mechanical engineering. He then served a two-year graduate apprenticeship with David Brown and Sons of Huddersfield, remaining with the company for several years, in the design office and research department, and as assistant works manager.

In 1942 he joined the Army as an Ordnance Mechanical Engineer in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC), and transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) on its foundation. Most of his service was with the Department of Tank Design, of which he became Assistant Director. He remained at the Establishment, renamed the Fighting Vehicles Design Department until 1947. During this time he was concerned with gears and gear units, and was responsible for the development of the Merritt-Brown tank transmission.

In 1947 he became the first Professor of Agricultural Engineering at Kings College, University of Durham. At the same time he was given a Personal Readership in Applied Mechanics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. During his time at Newcastle he took part in the reformation of the Territorial Army.

He was asked to take on the task of amalgamating the Armament Research Establishment with the Armament Design Establishment in 1954, and became the first Director of the Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment.
M’Ewen returned to industry in 1958 as Director of Engineering (Europe) of Massey Ferguson Ltd. Five years later he became Deputy Managing Director of the Hobourn Group, and in 1965 he became Managing Director. In 1967 he became Vice-Chairman (Engineering) of Joseph Lucas Limited, a group of companies including Girling (brakes and suspension), CAV (fuel-injection equipment and electrics) and Lucas Aerospace (engine and airframe equipment) and Keelavite (hydraulics). He remained with the company until 1980, at which point he became a consulting engineer.

M’Ewen was President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1976.

He died in 1993.

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