Trust Conditions:
In 1944 James Clayton of Torquay (Member 1901-1944), formerly Chief Engineer, Messrs Courtaulds Ltd., bequeathed a considerable sum of money to the Institution for the purpose of encouraging mechanical engineering science. It is from this bequest that the James Clayton Awards, James Clayton Undergraduate Scholarships and other General Institution prizes and awards are derived.
The Bequest was made for research, investigation and the encouragement of modern engineering science …... not less than 25 per cent of the yearly income shall be used in providing a Prize to be known as "The James Clayton Prize", which shall be awarded each year to the Member, Associate Member or Affiliate Member of the Institution, who, in the opinion of the Trustee Board contributes most in that year to modern engineering science by way of research, invention, experimental work or a treatise or paper on a modern engineering subject or originality in engineering design or by service to engineering. The Trustee Board may divide any such annual award in equal monies in the event of the contributions of two Members, Associate Members, Affiliate Members of the said Institution of Mechanical Engineers being considered to be of equal merit.
Mr Clayton was born in 1869 at Preston and served his engineering apprenticeship at the works of Wilding Brothers, of Preston, cotton manufacturers, and later with Joseph Smith of the same town. During this time he studied engineering at the Harris Institute of Preston and gained various certificates and diplomas. On completion of his apprenticeship he joined a shipbuilding yard at Barrow, and then spent several years at sea as an engineer. Later on, he was appointed Engineer to three cotton mills operated by George Paley, and, at the age of twenty-four, he went to the Essex factories of Messrs Courtaulds as assistant engineer under Mr James Finney. Early in the 20th century, the company became interested in the manufacture of rayon, by which time Mr Clayton had become Chief Engineer. The activities in rayon manufacture were concentrated at Coventry where he went to live until his retirement shortly after the conclusion of the First World War.
Although Mr Clayton was well know in textile circles, much of his work at Messrs Courtaulds was of necessity of a confidential nature and therefore was not widely known. Moreover, he did not welcome publicity. He contributed directly in the solution of many problems, which led to the economic manufacture of rayon. He was closely associated with the development of special devices, notably spinning machines, washing machines, and bleaching machines. The Clayton multiple piston spinning pump is an important example of this side of his work. He spent long periods in the USA on behalf of the company, and was largely responsible for the selection of sites, and the design and construction of the first rayon factories built there by Courtaulds. He thus played a great part in laying the foundation of the modern rayon industry. In 1919, Mr Clayton retired to Torquay, where he lived until his death in 1944.
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