Some of our History in photographs

Lancaster Engineering Society. 50th Anniversary Dinner. 12th March 1996
at Ashton Hall Golf Club, Lancaster.

Standing from the left 
J. Hobson, G. B. Whittaker, W. Turner, A. Davison, P. W. Joslin, R. P. Trevitt, F. Unsworth, C. Whiteside, H. F. Hart, R. Lear, A. K. Moss, G. Clark, D. M. Melluish, E. N. A. Morton, S. Simpkin, W. A. Smith, F. Simpkin, L. Smith

Seated from the left
N. Silcock, J. Blowes, J. G. Large (Treasurer), D. Wolfendale President, T. T. Cuthbertson (Vice President), L. C. Shimwell, W. A. Nicholson (Secretary)


Lancaster Engineering Society. 60th Anniversary Dinner. 10th March 2006
at Ashton Hall Golf Club, Lancaster.

Standing from the left 
Albert Smith, Lachlan MacDonald, Eddie Kingsley, Tom Hunter, Harry Brown, Tony Moss, John Murray, Ray Lear David Davenport, Alf Davison, Colin Whiteside, Len Shimwell, Norman Silcock, Herbie Hart, Peter Joslin, George Nightingale, Patrick Goodwin, Albert Morris

Seated from the left
Norman Briggs, Morgan Wheatley, Frank Unsworth*, President John Blowes, George Clark*, Tom Cuthbertson*, David Wolfendale*, Bill Nicholson * Past Presidents

Lancaster Engineering Society Celebrates 60 Years
A Sherry Reception and Dinner at the Lancaster Golf Club, Friday 10th March, marked the 60th Anniversary year of the Lancaster Engineering Society.

55 members, their wives and other guests, celebrated the occasion in the magnificent Gothic style surroundings of the Club at Ashton Hall, which dates back to medieval times.

President John Blowes said;
It was good to see the Society thriving and with good such attendance at meetings; meetings that have served to update the engineers of Lancaster on a wide range of engineering matters from it’s formation in 1946, to today.

Over thirty years ago talks by specialist engineers included:
Satellite Broadcasting; to include television
Water by pipeline from the Lake District to Manchester
Building of the M6 motorway
Water and Wind Power – that is just as topical today

The efforts and enthusiasm of Past Presidents and their committees were identified as providing the essential continuity over the years – Len Shimwell was named in particular, owing to his having accepted Honorary membership of the Society last year, in gratitude for the tremendous work that he has done in organising visits for the for the past 12 years.

Lancaster Engineering Society. 70th Anniversary Dinner. 19th April 2016

President Alan Denham, Committee and Members

Lancaster Engineering Society Celebrates 70 Years

A Sherry Reception and Dinner at Morecambe Golf Club, Friday 19th April, marked the 70th Anniversary year of the Lancaster Engineering Society.

44 members, their wives and other guests, celebrated the occasion at the present home of Morecambe Golf Club located on Coastal road and overlooked by the Lakeland hills.


Honorary member: Len Shimwell

Seen here standing by an operational Gardner diesel engine built in 1918, photographed during a Society visit to the Anson Museum, in Stockport.
It is with great sadness that Len passed away on 5th September 2010 aged 86.
A member of LES for many years and made a honorary member for his tireless efforts in supporting the society.
Gained a sholarship to Manchester Grammer School, Commenced work at Mirrlees Diesels in 1940.
During WW2 held a special license to breed rabbits.
Although in a reserved occupation Len applied to join the Navy and soon gained promotion and travelled the world.
Len returned to Mirrlees Diesels after the War , however found the regular hours too restricting so he accepted his Uncle’s offer to run the family grocery shop. That went from strength to strength with high volume buying and great marketing.
He was an expert in riding a bycycle sitting on the handlebars and pedalling backwards and was part of the CEGB team at the Fiddlers Ferry and Heysham Power stations before retiring.
A CHEERFUL and a TRUE Engineer.