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| Mathisen,
Macara & Co is the successor to the business established by
Anders Mathisen, a Dane, in 1932 at First Avenue House, High Holborn, London.
Anders Mathisen arrived in England in 1917, graduated from London University
with a degree in Engineering in 1928 and became a Fellow of the Chartered
Institute of Patent Agents in 1932. |
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As shown by the hand written ledgers still held by the firm, Anders Mathisen
appears initially to have filed and prosecuted applications for a wide variety
of private individuals in and around London. |
| The ninth patent application
filed by Mathisen was for Captain Hubert Mackenzie Salmond, Royal Indian Navy,
who had lost a friend in a car accident when the car burst into flames after an
accident as a result of the continued pumping of fuel by the fuel pump and a
spark from the ignition system.
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| Salmond devised a gravity or inertia operated
switch that would disable the electrical system of a vehicle in the event of an
accident (see UK patent specification no 423,191).
This proved to be a turning point in Mathisen’s life.
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| Mathisen quickly became involved
with Salmond in the manufacture of such switches, combining this with his patent
work. With the onset of the Second World War, these switches became in great
demand particularly for aircraft and Mathisen was obliged to devote more of his
time to this business, to the detriment of the patent agency. Indeed, Mathisen
himself became a prolific inventor in the fields of fire extinguishing, fuel
valves and switches. The business was incorporated under the name of Graviner
Manufacturing Co and its successor remains a client to this day, with an address
at Mathisen Way named in honour of its founder. |
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Mathisen’s name also appears
with that of Wilkinson Sword Limited, the world famous manufacturer of razors,
on patent specifications in the 1930’s relating to dry shavers. His life was
worthy of a book – and has gained one, ‘Fireworthiness and Gravatom’
compiled by Walter Leonard Abigail C.Eng., F.I.Mech.E., MR AeS and published by
Gravatom Limited in 1983.
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Photos from the
Archives |
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After the Second World War, the patent agency was in poor shape due at least in
part to Mathisen’s contribution to the war effort. It was fortunate,
therefore, that in 1953 Mathisen was joined by John Macara, a Scotsman whose
talents and drive were to create the firm that exists today. He quickly
re-established relationships with overseas attorneys and clients and under his
guidance the firm prospered, moving from near Jermyn Street, London to Pall
Mall, London.
He was joined by Derek Taylor from the Ministry of Defence in 1960, Chris
Corin from Power Jets (the company set up to exploit the inventions of Sir Frank
Whittle) in 1962 and David Foster from English Electric in 1965. Anders Mathisen
retired from the partnership in 1965. The firm moved to Harrow Middlesex in
1965. |
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In 1976 the partnership of
Mathisen & Macara, as it then was, became an unlimited company under the
name Mathisen, Macara & Co. At the same time, it ceased its renewal business
and started its long association with Computer Patent Annuities (now Computer
Patent Annuities Limited) in Jersey. Stephen Knott joined the firm
in 1979 and Martin Goodanew in 1986, both from firms of Patent Attorneys. Dr
Mark Bibby joined in 1988 from THORN-EMI Limited. In 1985, the firm moved to its
present address.
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| Today, Mathisen, Macara & Co
is a thriving company still recognizable as embracing the tenets of its founders
but having adapted to the modern world. Anders Mathisen died in 1973, but his
picture hangs in our offices with that of John Macara as a reminder of our past. |
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