PARSONS AND EARLY FUEL CELL RESEARCH

The material is presented as a roughly chronological sequence of reports, notes, drafts, calculations and data. The sequence includes some postwar fuel cell papers (to 1949) which were found in the same binder as prewar material.

As far as possible papers found in binders have been presented in the order in which they were found which was not always a strictly chronological one.

Bacon served his time as apprentice at C.A. Parsons & Co. Ltd., Heaton Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne from 1925-1928 and subsequently worked in the Searchlight Reflector Department and the Development and Research Department. It was while working for Parsons that Bacon's interest in fuel cells was aroused. In 1937 he drafted a report to the directors suggesting that a workable fuel cell might be developed (see B.41). Although the report was rejected as not being relevant to the business Bacon began experimental work, first at home and then surreptitiously at Parsons. In January 1940 he submitted a second report to the directors (B.36-B.38) admitting that he had been doing fuel cell work in his employers' time. Given an ultimatum to stop work on the fuel cell or leave, Bacon chose to leave.

After Bacon left Parsons Dr Charles Merz, founder of the consulting engineers Merz and McClellan agreed to finance his work on fuel cells and asked his friend A.J. Allmand, Professor of Chemistry at King's College London to provide space in his laboratory. Putting to use the training of his engineering apprenticeship, Bacon was able to build his own fuel cells and embark on an experimental programme 1940-1941.