Name: | Cambridge Scientific Instrument Co.; Cambridge (GB) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Abbreviation: | cambridge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Products: | Model types Others | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Summary: |
Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company Cambridge and Paul Instrument Company Ltd. Cambridge Instrument Company Ltd (under George Kent, later Brown Boveri, then SMI, then NEB, etc.) The Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company was founded in 1881 by Horace Darwin and Albert George Dew-Smith to manufacture precision instruments for Cambridge University, growing through mergers and innovation to become a leading British scientific instrument firm. After expanding its product lines and undergoing several name changes and acquisitions, the company was absorbed by George Kent in 1968, eventually dissolved in 2021 after more than a century of operation. |
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Founded: | 1881 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Closed: | 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Production: | 1881 - 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History: |
Founding and Early Development Horace Darwin (1851–1928), the youngest son of Charles Darwin, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and trained as an engineer at Easton and Anderson in Kent. His technical skill and scientific curiosity made him a natural designer of precision instruments [1][2][3]. Dew-Smith, an engineer and instrument maker, provided both business acumen and financial backing [2][3]. The company’s early premises were in Panton Street, moving to St Tibbs Row in 1882, and later to Carlyle Road in 1895 as demand grew [3]. In 1891, Darwin became the sole owner after Dew-Smith retired [2][3]. The company became a limited liability company in 1895 [3]. Growth and Innovation
During World War I, the company expanded its workforce from about 40 in 1896 to 488 by 1918, supporting the war effort by manufacturing instruments previously sourced from Germany [3]. Horace Darwin was knighted in 1918 for his contributions to the Munitions Inventions Panel [3][4]. Expansion, Acquisitions, and Name Changes
Mid-20th Century Innovations and Challenges
Later Years and Legacy
Notable Figures and Family Connections Horace Darwin: Founder, engineer, and innovator; elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1903; Mayor of Cambridge 1896–97 [1][3][4]. Albert George Dew-Smith: Co-founder and early financial backer [2][3]. Robert Whipple: Longtime employee and later chairman; his collection became the Whipple Museum [2]. William G. Pye: Former foreman, founder of the Pye Group [2]. Erasmus Darwin Barlow: Horace’s grandson, later chairman of the company [2]. Summary Table:
Legacy [1] Cambridge University Library Archives |
This manufacturer was suggested by Otmar Jung.
Country | Year | Name | 1st Tube | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
GB | 65/66 | Stereoscan Mk. I (1) | The Stereoscan Mk1, introduced by the Cambridge Instrument Company in 1965, was the w... | |
GB | 50 | pH Meter | ||
GB | 36 | Campbell Induction meter [1] | 0.0003-1.1 mHenry. Price in Hungary 1936 was 2800 Pengö. | |
GB | 36 | Campbell Induction meter [2] | 0.003-11 mHenry. Price in Hungary 1936 was 2800 Pengö. | |
GB | 30 | Röhrenvoltmeter A-42611 | Es wurden 5 Modelle (A-B-C-D-E) für verschiedene Verwendungszwecke gefertigt. Die Funktion... | |
GB | 30 | Röhrenvoltmeter C-42612 | Es wurden 5 Modelle (A-B-C-D-E) für verschiedene Verwendungszwecke gefertigt. Die Funktion... | |
GB | 30 | Röhrenvoltmeter D-42613 | Es wurden 5 Modelle (A-B-C-D-E) für verschiedene Verwendungszwecke gefertigt. Die Funktion... | |
GB | 30 | Amphimeter 41334 | Volt- und Amperemeter für Gleichstrom und für Wechselstrom bis 10000 Hz.Skalenlänge 110 mm. | |
GB | 30 | Duddell Thermo Galvanometer 41612 | Spiegelgalvanometer für Hochfrequenz mit festem Permanentmagnet und Drehspule, welches zur... | |
GB | 30 | Röhrenvoltmeter B-42621 | Es wurden 5 Modelle (A-B-C-D-E) für verschiedene Verwendungszwecke gefertigt. Die Funktion... | |
GB | 30 | Röhrenvoltmeter E-42614 | Es wurden 5 Modelle (A-B-C-D-E) für verschiedene Verwendungszwecke gefertigt. Die Funktion... | |
GB | 24 | Milliamperemeter | Range: 0 to 500 mA DC. |
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