The British Rayon Research Association was a research institute formed in 1946 by the British Rayon Federation and others. It was funded by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and by voluntary funds from industry to investigate the chemical and physical properties of rayon and rayon fabrics, using a wide range of laboratory and theoretical methods. John Wilson , who was its Director from 1948 to 1958 was appointed a CBE for his work at the BRRA. It was located near Ringway Airport in Manchester , initially, and then at Heald Green near Manchester after 1955.
6-532: Work from the Association included academic publication, that included papers by Leslie Treloar in the journal Polymer . The BRRA sponsored Andrew Donald Booth 's early research into computing at Birkbeck and was home to the first of his All Purpose Electronic Computers built in 1952 Under Wilson's leadership, the staff of BRRA grew to nearly 300 and gained an international reputation in textiles research. The BRRA also offered annual Technological Scholarships in
12-529: The Shirley Institute . Len Wiseman was appointed its Deputy Director. LRG Treloar Professor Leslie Ronald George Treloar , OBE (30 July 1906 – 18 March 1985) was a leading figure in the science of rubber and elasticity, and writer of a number of influential texts. Leslie Treloar graduated in Physics from University College, Reading , in 1927 and subsequently joined GEC . He gained his PhD from
18-769: The University of London (external degree) in 1938. After working for GEC he moved to the British Rubber Producers Research Association . He worked briefly at the Telecommunications Research Establishment during World War II. He moved to the British Rayon Research Association when it was set up in 1948. He was a colleague of John Wilson . He was awarded the Colwyn Medal "for outstanding services to
24-532: The Departments of Textiles at the University of Manchester and the University of Leeds. The Duke of Edinburgh opened the new BRRA laboratory at Heald Green on 11 May 1955. It cost £500,000. British Pathé filmed footage of research, at BRRA, on the strength of fabrics. John Wilson was succeeded by Leonard Albert Wiseman in 1958. By at least 1955 it was apparent that there was potential for overlap in research with
30-588: The rubber industry of a scientific, technical or engineering character" in 1961, and the Swinburne Award for his "outstanding contribution to the advancement and knowledge of any field related to the science, engineering or technology of plastics" in 1970. He also was awarded the A. A. Griffith Medal and Prize in 1972. He became Professor of Polymer & Fibre Science in the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1966 and retired in 1974. Treloar published many texts and papers, of which
36-689: The work of the British Cotton Industry Research Association . In 1957 an official agreement was made to avoid duplication. Wilson retired from the BRRA in 1958, and Len Wiseman became Director. Consensus emerged that a merger between the BCIRA and BRRA was needed. BRRA's life ended with its merger with the BCRA to form the Cotton, Silk, and Man-Made Fibres Research Association in 1961, better known as
#486513