The Knife and Fork Man: The Life and Work of Charles Benjamin Redrup, 2006, 2007

Document Type: Book (Historical Study).

Purpose: Informational.

Authority: Author Expertise.

Scope: Biography of Sir Charles Redrup, a pioneer of British automobile and aeronautical engines, written by Professor Bill Fairney, "an expert in his field, has carried out an immense amount of research on a story of inventiveness and persistence."

Contents (from the Foreword): "This book has everything that an admirer of engineering of all kinds could ask for. It is the story of a man who had the good fortune to be born at the dawn of motor engineering, and was himself present at the birth of aero engine design. Charles Redrup took advantage of all this. His automotive engineering skills first brought him public attention, but he soon became a leading light in early British aircraft engines and later had an important part to play in the design and development of the Lancaster bomber. There are many great names in the annals of British engineering. Some did not make the headlines but nevertheless made a significant contribution to British engineering heritage. Charles Redrup was one of these unsung and largely unknown names.

He was a remarkably versatile engineering pioneer who could turn his inventive mind to almost any mechanical problem. His trademark was simplicity. Indeed, he was seemingly able to solve almost any form of mechanical problem. Later in life he turned his skills once more to motor cycles. Unlike the majority of his genre, some of his ideas are still very much in use as recognised best practise today.

It is a veritable treasure trove of the life of an early British engineer, whose work came to the notice of many of the great names in UK engineering circles, but is otherwise largely unknown. I am astonished that the life of Charles Redrup has never before been told, and I commend it to you."