George Carwardine

Designer of the iconic Anglepoise 1227 lamp

George Carwardine (1887–1947) invented the iconic Anglepoise 1227 lamp and was a respected engineer of his time.

In 1931, he developed a theoretical concept for balancing weights using springs, cranks and levers. Using high-quality springs from Herbert Terry and Sons Ltd., this allowed Carwardine to create a lamp that combines flexibility and balance. The first four-spring Anglepoise lamp was launched in 1933. At the time, it was considered too industrial for the living room, so Carwardine and the designers at Terry's developed a three-spring version together. This design, known as the Anglepoise Original 1227, has been refined over the years, but is generally regarded as the archetypal Anglepoise lamp.

Carwardine remained associated with Terry's for the rest of his life. He developed numerous variations of the original Anglepoise design, including lamps for hospital operating theatres.