History of the magazine.

As part of the 125th Anniversary of Model Engineer, Martin and I have been trying to pin down the various editors of Model Engineer.

You would think this should just be on record in the magazine's archive? It possibly is, but where is that archive, scattered over different publishers...

Or it would be somewhere on the web? Try finding it!

So look through back issues. Easier said than done, but that what we've tried.

The difficulty is that after Percival Marshall passed on in 1948 there was 'collective' editorship for several months, the editor then becomes anonymous. Possibly ET Westbury and JN Maskelyne took the helm in those days?

For about a year in 1954/55 editors were listed but with no 'main editor' though ETW and Maskelyne were almost certainly at the helm.

A new period started in September 1955 with the announcement of sweeping changes and the 'New Model Engineer' and the editorship becomes anonymous again. A couple of months later, the editor starts using the sign off 'Vulcan'.

I believe that Vulcan was Westbury. Following Vulcan the first Martin Evans takes the helm in the mid 60s, with a change to MAP being the publisher, and the history is easy to track from there.

The questions we have for the forum are:

Can anyone throw more light on the identities of the editors between Percival Marshall and Martin Evans.

Has 'Vulcan' been proven to be Westbury?

Thanks,

Neil

Logic suggests that a pseudonym was used so that a number of people could carry out the task as and when required

.

Inclusive OR … so that one person could carry out multiple tasks

MichaelG.

Westbury had more pen-names than you can shake a stick at. There are other clues, not least the writing style and the slightly deprecating way 'Vulcan' refers to Westbury.

The anonymous period may well have been a division of labour.

Neil

Hollingsworth's book on LBSC indicates that following Maskelyne, c. 1955, the editors were L.B. Howard, then Kenneth Garcke, plus managing editor, L.B Waller.

It would indeed be interesting to know more about the history of the magazine and those involved.

Greetings Neil, the one recently most easily forgotten was a Mr Porter who di the job for about a year in the 1980's I think.

Regards

Brian B

I got rid of all my old M.E's but was there a Joseph Martin in the early sixties? Roughly around the time Boxhill was serialised. I seem to remember one of the editors was very keen on articles about Shakespear and English history. I believe that Mr Garcke was the editor that upset LBSC who left and then had to be brought back by popular demand.

Probably remembered it all wrong, usually do!

Regards

Dave

Edited By Dave Wootton on 25/08/2023 13:35:29

I don't think ETW is likely to have been Vulcan as after the takeover in the 60s Vulcan disappears while Westbury continues as a contributor - my own feeling is that L.B.Howard was Vulcan with Garcke over him as managing editor of Electrical press - the previous owners. When LBSC fell out with the editor he appealed to Garcke but was not helped - again taken from Hollingsworth.

After the takeover when LBSC returned he worked with Martin Evans as editor which might have not happened if ETW was there as well.

Have a look at the series of articles by Martin Evans in 1998 'Early Days at the Model Engineer Office'

What might also be interesting might be to follow the travels of the magazine round London - Kingsway, Great Queen Street etc etc

Another name which comes to mind is Dick Laidlaw-Dickson - not sure if he was ever editor, but certainly involved in the late 1960s.

Slightly off-topic, but in view of LBSC's well-known antipathy to Martin Evans, you have to hand it to Martin for visiting LBSC, and persuading him back into the fold. Considerable tact and diplomacy must have been required - oh, to have been a fly on the wall !

Thanks Brian,

Les Porter was '77 to '79.

Neil

Falling out with LBSC was not something to take on lightly!

Neil

Maskelyne's death was marked with the comment 'one time editor of Model Railway News and former technical editor to Model Engineer' and his obituary in issue 3075 of ME also fails to mention him as editing ME while citing editorship of MRN.

Similarly, the lavish tributes to ET Westbury I have seen make no mention of an editorial role (I haven't read them all though!)

After the passing of Marshall, perhaps there was no sole 'editor'; perhaps the ship was steered without direct involvement in the content by Managing Editor* EFH Cosh over the team of technical and feature editors. I wonder who wrote 'Smoke Rings' in those years? Maskelyne, ETW or a joint effort?

Cosh only ever wrote one article under his own name, on the Aircraft section of the ME Exhibition in 1948.

Presumably, Garcke replaced Cosh as Managing Editor and brought in Howard for the 'New Model Engineer'.

Neil

LBSC is supposed to have referred to him as ‘CopyCat Evans’

I've found some evidence that Howard was editor when Martin Evans (the first) was on the staff, and was the person who cut 'Curly's stay short. Dicky Laidlaw-Dickinson apparently was involved in getting LBSC back.

LBSC's hiatus was announced by 'the Editor' in issue 3030, 1959.

He returned in 3289, 1966.

This all fits with Howard being Vulcan, if Garcke was Managing Editor.

So no formal editor between Marshall and Howard, perhaps, but Maskelyne and ETW taking the lead under Cosh.

Neil.

Neil

Although I have nothing to add, except that Westbury had been the civilian manager of RAF Cranwell's training workshop in the late 1920s and early 30s, but it would help me if you drew up a simple time line, please.

JA

ETW was also at the RAF Apprentice training school at RAF Halton - a brief appreciation and notes on his career appears in ME 3394 Vol 136 1970 with additions in the following issues and into Vol 137

I guess so since the RAF Apprentice Training School moved at Halton from Cranwell in the 1930s. From that time it is worth reading pages 215 and 216 of Westbury's "Model Petrol Engines".

JA

That's the 'end we have in sight'! Would like to fill in gaps a bit more, have found a few things out.

Neil

Just found my poor old, coverless copy... The pages are intact, except the last page I have is 214!

Any key points you can share?

Neil