NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION/MARSHALLS OF CAMBRIDGE

The material relating to the NRDC sponsored fuel cell programme at Marshalls and continuing NRDC interest in fuel cell activities (to 1991) is presented as follows:

B.273-B.342 Correspondence

B.343-B.431A Notes, drafts and reports

B.432-B.461A Notebooks

B.462-B.599 Data

B.600-B.634 Equipment and supplies

B.635-B.643 Visitors

<span class="wrapper"><p>For Bacon's Energy Conversion Ltd papers see B.644-B.854.</p> <p>For papers relating to Leesona and Pratt and Whitney see B.1132-B.1147.</p></span>

When the Electrical Research Association withdrew its financial support for Bacon's fuel cell work, he was able to interest Lord Halsbury, Managing Director of the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), in the fuel cell. The NRDC gave final approval to support the fuel cell project in the spring of 1956 and the work moved to the Cambridge engineering firm of A.G.G. Marshall (with J.C. Frost of Marshalls as project manager). Although Bacon was able to demonstrate a 6kW forty cell battery to a variety of interested people in August 1959 there was still no commercial interest in the UK and the NRDC felt obliged to close down the project. However, in October 1961 three leading British companies - British Petroleum, British Ropes, and the Guest, Keen, Nettlefolds Group, joined with the NRDC to form a new company - Energy Conversion Limited. The aim of the new company was to promote research into the development of fuel cells which could be produced commercially. The NRDC had already made licensing arrangements in the USA with the Leesona Corporation who, in turn, associated themselves with the United Aircraft Corporation. Leesona and the Pratt and Whitney Divsion of United Aircraft carried out a joint fuel cell research and development programme most notably in connexion with the US space programme.

The longer title of the Cambridge company which housed the project was Marshalls Flying School Limited.