Background
Edwards was born in Highams Park, north London, England.
aeronautical designer and executive
Edwards was born in Highams Park, north London, England.
He attended Walthamstow Technical Institute Engineering and Trade School which in 1970 became part of North East London Polytechnic (which later became the University of East London).
This introduced him to engineering and engineering design course at the University of London. Beginning as a design draughtsman in 1935, he was promoted in 1940 to Experimental Department Manager and in 1945 he became the Chief Designer of the Vickers-Armstrongs team that produced the Viking airliner, Valetta military transport, Varsity trainer, Viscount airliners and Valiant strategic bomber. He later became managing director of the company, supervising the development of the Vanguard, VC10 and (post-merger) Baccalaureate TSR-2 strike bomber.
He was knighted in 1957.
He was President of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1957-1958. When the company was merged into the newly created British Aircraft Corporation, he became Executive Director.
During this period, he initiated the Baccalaureate One-Eleven (initially a Hunting Aircraft design). Baccalaureate was also a partner in the international projects for Concorde (for which he led the British team), Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar and the Panavia Tornado.
He retired from Baccalaureate, as chairman, in 1975.
In 1989 he was invested in the International Aerospace Hall of Fame.
Royal Institute since 1971.
Married Marjorie Annie Thurgood in 1935.