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David McMurtry

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Sir David Roberts McMurtry, CBE FRS FREng (born 1940) is the founder of Renishaw plc, the United Kingdom's largest supplier of metrology equipment.

Career

Brought up in Dublin and educated at Mountjoy School in Dublin, David McMurtry joined Bristol Aero Engines as an apprentice in 1958.[1] In 1966, following an acquisition, he found himself employed by Rolls-Royce plc where he became Deputy Chief Designer and Assistant Chief of Engine Design at Filton.[1] In 1973, while working on Concorde's engines, he designed his first trigger probe.[1]

In 1979 McMurtry joined his former colleague John Deer to set up Renishaw plc.[1] In 1987 he acquired the patents for his trigger probes from Rolls-Royce plc and began to exploit the patents himself.[1]

In 1989 he became a Royal Designer for Industry.[2]

He was awarded the CBE in 1994[3] and was knighted in the 2001 New Year Honours.[4]

McMurty received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University in 1998.[5]

In 2001, McMurtry was elected a Fellow[6] of the Royal Academy of Engineering.[6] In 2008 the University of Bath[7] awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering. In 2011 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.[8] McMurtry won the Institute of Physics Swan Medal and Prize in 2012.[9]

Personal life

McMurty is married to Teresa and has two sons and a daughter.[10]

In 2001, McMurtry started work on a futuristic building known as Swinhay House.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Renishaw: Biography
  2. ^ New Year Honour for David McMurtry Engineering Talk, 9 March 2001
  3. ^ "No. 53863". The London Gazette (invalid |supp= (help)). 29 November 1994.
  4. ^ "No. 56070". The London Gazette (invalid |supp= (help)). 30 December 2000.
  5. ^ "Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh: Honorary Graduates". Heriot-Watt University. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  6. ^ a b "List of Fellows".
  7. ^ University of Bath: McMurtry Oration
  8. ^ "Sir David Roberts McMurtry CBE FREng FRS". Royal Society. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
  9. ^ Physics, Institute of. "The Swan/Business and Innovation medal recipients". www.iop.org. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  10. ^ Inventor's Probing Mind Defies UK Industry Meltdown Investing News, 16 June 2005
  11. ^ The futuristic dream home of one of Britain's leading industrialists Daily Mail, 8 September 2008