Douglas Wellesley Morrell
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Douglas Wellesley Morrell , (6 February 1917 – 6 February 1996) was an
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
electrical
engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...
and deputy managing director of
Racal Racal Electronics plc was a British electronics company that was founded in 1950. Listed on the London Stock Exchange and once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, Racal was a diversified company, offering products including voice recorders and ...
.


Early life and education

Morrell was born in Plymouth on 6 February 1917, but was adopted and
baptised Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...
nearly a year later, on 9 January 1918, as Douglas Wellesley Morrell at
Emmanuel Immanuel or Emmanuel (, "God swith us"; Koine Greek: ) is a Hebrew name that appears in the Book of Isaiah (7:14) as a sign that God will protect the House of David. The Gospel of Matthew ( Matthew 1:22 –23) interprets this as a prophecy of ...
, Compton Gifford, Plymouth, Devon. His father, Arthur Wellesley Morrell, was a
paymaster A paymaster is someone appointed by a group of buyers, sellers, investors or lenders to receive, hold, and dispense funds, commissions, fees, salaries (remuneration) or other trade, loan, or sales proceeds within the private sector or public secto ...
for the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
at the
Plymouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (HMNB Devonport) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Portsmouth) and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Roya ...
. Morrell was educated at
Dauntsey's School Dauntsey's School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding school, boarding and day school) for pupils aged 11–18 in the village of West Lavington, Wiltshire, England. T ...
in
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...
, and later at
Faraday House Faraday House Electrical Engineering College was created to train engineers in power engineering, power generation and distribution. It was set up at a time before engineering was widely taught at universities, founded as an adjunct to a commerc ...
in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, where he earned a Bachelor of Science (engineering) with honours, as well as a gold medal.


Career

Morrell joined
Marconi Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi, 1st Marquess of Marconi ( ; ; 25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian electrical engineer, inventor, and politician known for his creation of a practical radio wave-based wireless telegraph system. This ...
as an installation engineer in 1938, and would go on to travel around the
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
throughout the war years installing radio direction-finding equipment as part of the war effort. After the war, he went on to work for Redifon as a sales engineer. It was with Redifon that he met Ray Brown, who would eventually join Calder Cunningham in starting
Racal Racal Electronics plc was a British electronics company that was founded in 1950. Listed on the London Stock Exchange and once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, Racal was a diversified company, offering products including voice recorders and ...
in 1950.Sir Ernest Harrison OBE. Speech at Douglas' memorial concert. The Wigmore Hall, London. 2 May 1996. In April 1953, he left Redifon to join Racal as their first
sales manager Sales management is a business discipline which is focused on the practical application of sales techniques and the management of a firm's sales operations. It is an important business function as net sales, through the sale of products and ...
, at the invitation of Ray Brown. Morrell became an investor and joined the board of directors in 1955. He was instrumental in negotiating an exclusive licensing agreement between Racal and the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, which had invented an improved high-frequency receiver circuitry, in a Racal radio set that eventually "became the standard HF receiver for all the armed forces and monitoring agencies of the United Kingdom". When he retired in 1982, Morrell was a deputy m anaging director, though he remained closely involved in the company's activities during his early retirement in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. During his lengthy career, Morrell became a member of the
Society of British Aerospace Companies The Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC, formerly Society of British Aircraft Constructors) was the UK's national trade association representing companies supplying civil air transport, aerospace defence, homeland security and space. ...
, and of the
Institution of Electrical Engineers The Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) was a British professional organisation of electronics, electrical, manufacturing, and information technology professionals, especially electrical engineers. It began in 1871 as the Society of Tel ...
, having first joined as a Member in 1936, later becoming a
Fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...
in 1962.Obituary. ''IEE News'', p. 11. 4 July 1996 Morrell was also a long-serving
Liveryman A livery company is a type of guild or professional association that originated in medieval times in London, England. Livery companies comprise London's ancient and modern trade associations and guilds, almost all of which are styled the "Wors ...
with the
Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers The Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers is one of the 111 livery companies of the City of London. It ranks 84th in the order of precedence for the livery companies. History The Company was originally formed in 1956 when scie ...
, having been first clothed in the livery on 14 November 1961.Everard, H G. (Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers). Private letter. 12 April 1999.


Honours

Morrell was
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as a
Commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...
of the
Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
on 12 June 1982, following his retirement, and was invested later that year.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrell, Douglas Wellesley 1917 births 1996 deaths People educated at Dauntsey's School Racal English electrical engineers Engineers from Plymouth, Devon