Alex Moulton
Alexander Eric Moulton (1920-2012)
1920 April 9th. Born
He was the great-grandson of the rubber pioneer Stephen Moulton, the founder of the family business George Spencer, Moulton and Co
Moulton was educated at Marlborough College and King's College, Cambridge.
He worked after World War II at George Spencer, Moulton and Co, specialising in rubber suspension systems for vehicles.
During the war he had worked on engine design at the Bristol Aeroplane Co under Roy Fedden
1956 The family business was bought by the Avon Rubber Co, Moulton started up a new company, Moulton Developments, to design the suspension system for British Motor Corporation's new small car, the Mini, that was being designed by his Sir Alec Issigonis. The combination of conical rubber springs and small wheels was one of the many innovative developments that allowed Issigonis to achieve the Mini's small overall size. This was later refined into the hydrolastic and hydragas suspension systems used on later British Leyland cars such as the Austin Maxi, Austin Allegro and Rover Metro, and most recently on the MGF.
1958 Moulton started work on bicycles and later designed the Moulton Bicycle, again using rubber suspension and small wheels
2012 December 9th. Died.