LSBU alumnus launches UK's first space satellite

Ivor Scarlett graduated from LSBU in 1952 (then known as the Borough Polytechnic Institute) having studied a range of Engineering subjects. Following his early career in high-tech manufacturing, Ivor moved into Electronics and was part of the team that helped launched the UK’s first space satellites.

The Dennis Brothers Ltd. team, 1945. The young Ivor is situated in the top row, second from left

Ivor spoke to the LSBU Alumni Association about his landmark achievement in a vast and varied career: “My most satisfying job was at Elliot Automation where I set up and managed a manufacturing facility to make Radar control equipment for tanks, scientific multi-channel tape records, simulators and attitude control equipment for the UK’s first space satellites. There were 25 successful launches at Woomera in Australia. This was the front edge of new technology at the time and something the Americans could not do!”

Having left school at the age 14 to work in a shop, Ivor demonstrated a gift for mathematics having gained a distinction in a Technical Course at Nightschool. Aged just 17, his precocious talent earned him an Apprenticeship at Dennis Brothers, the UK’s foremost vehicle manufacturer at the time.

After serving three years in the army, Ivor joined LSBU - then known as the Borough Polytechnic Institute - on an intensive two year course and had to work in the summer and Christmas holidays to fund his studies, as his grant amounted to only £2.30 for living and travel expenses: “It was hard going and tiring taking into account I had to travel from Guildford and do my homework in the evenings and weekends. The coursework was interesting and the practical use of real equipment made a big difference.”

The hard work and investment paid off as Ivor’s time at the Borough Polytechnic provided the springboard for the basis of a pioneering future in Engineering: The theoretical and practical work gave me the self-assurance when I took on my various posts to make a success of them. In those days I was afraid of nothing I have not changed much since then.”

His late career was in senior management, mainly administration, so whilst Ivor may have lost direct contact with the technical side of affairs, he became more actively involved in a wide range of other industries. Since retiring, Ivor likes to keep up-to-date with the latest happenings at LSBU by reading Connected magazine. He looks back on his time as a student of LSBU with fondness: “I got on well with tutors and other students and we made a good team working well together.”