Thomas Swinden
Thomas Swinden (1886-1944)
1943/44 Obituary [1]
Thomas Swinden was born in 1886 and educated at Sheffield Central Secondary School and at Firth College, Sheffield. He studied metallurgy in the University of Sheffield, gaining an Associateship in Metallurgy and also a scholarship, which enabled him to attend the Universities of Stockholm and Upsala.
On his return he re-entered Sheffield University and obtained the degree of Bachelor of Metallurgy in 2908, the degree of M.Met. a year later, and in 1913 he was made a Doctor of Metallurgy.
After some experience in consulting practice he was appointed Chief Chemist to Samuel Fox and Co. He subsequently became Chief Metallurgist and later Works Manager and a Director.
In 1932 he relinquished the position of Works Manager to take up that of Director of Research of the United Steel Companies. Following his early pioneer work on the thermal, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties of molybdenum steels, he conducted researches on tungsten steels, pyrometry, open-hearth steel furnace practice, etc., and was responsible for investigations into the properties of cold-rolled steel and the control of grain size in steel.
He died suddenly on 27th October, 1944, at the age of 58.
He was elected a Member in 1930.