Matt Payne
Matt Payne (1887-1937)
1936/37 Obituary [1]
Matt Payne was born in 1887, and received his theoretical education at Paddington Technical Institute and The City and Guilds of London College.
He served his apprenticeship with Clement Talbot and after a further period with the firm as Assistant Plant Engineer he established an engineering business on his own account.
During the War and until 1920 he served as an Officer in Charge of Workshops in the Mechanical Transport Branch of the R.A.S.C.
After the War he was Consulting Engineer for Clayton Wagons, and other firms, and his subsequent specialisation on heat radiation and cooling problems was well known in the Industry.
He died on 6th February, 1937, at the age of 50.
He was elected an Associate Member in 1921, and transferred to Member in 1929.
1937 Obituary [2]
Captain MATT PAYNE was chairman of the British Thermostat Company, Ltd., of Sunbury on Thames, which he founded with his brother, Mr. William Payne. He was particularly concerned with the technical side of the business. He was born at Stafford and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. A. Keeling and Sons, Ltd., and Messrs. Clement Talbot, Ltd., London. He then joined Messrs. W. T. Clark and Company, Ltd., electrical engineers, as engineer in charge of contracts. When the War was declared he joined the R.A.S.C.; later he became technical assistant to the chief inspector of motor transport, at G.H.Q., France, and was finally employed in the Mechanical Transport Inspection Bureau of the War Office. After the War he held the appointment of chief engineer and works manager to Messrs. Hobdell, Way and Company, Ltd.; he had entire control of production and was consulting engineer to the sales department. Subsequently he acted as consulting engineer to the Clayton Dewandre Company, Ltd., of Lincoln. Some of his most important work, however, was in connexion with the Technical Committee of the Mechanical Warfare Board, in his capacity as consultant to the War Office. He was also the Associate Member of the Mechanization Board, representing the Institution. Over a long period of years his advice was sought on problems relating to the cooling of water and oil in Army vehicles; his work in this direction also influenced the design of commercial motor vehicles. He had an expert knowledge of servo-operated and direct braking systems, and was also frequently consulted on engines, transmissions, axles, and suspension systems.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1922 and was transferred to Membership in 1932. His death occurred at Walton on Thames on 6th February 1937.