Mr Cecil Cowdrey, manager of the Flight Development Establishment was the man who promoted Napier's business for Luton, described by colleagues as "Mr Napier" (The founder Napier connections were severed in 1931).
It was in 1931 Cecil Cowdrey was chosen for his expertise and knowledge while previously working for Rolls Royce, to take control of Napier's .
Accepting the position at Luton, he soon realised managing a miniature Farnborough at the Luton Airport site covering 70 acres with nothing more than a collection of wooden huts and a single hangar was going to be challenging.
Growth was small and steady; however the breakout of war accomplished and succeeded many of those challenges.
While the Normandy fighting was at its height, Luton was called upon for a supreme effort. Dust and grit from the Normandy Airstrip caused excessive engine wear and grounded the Typhoons, but within 8 hours a Prototype had been designed at Napier's, built, tested and were installed into the grounded aircraft.
This was just one of many complicated technical projects Napier overcame throughout the second war.
In 1942, the company, Napier's Ltd, was absorbed into the English Electric Group, drawing experience from Turbine technology.
In the 1950s they were developing and producing large turbo-blowers and turbo-chargers.
Another successful project was the spraymat de-icing equipment, used to prevent ice build up on leading edges of aircraft, intakes etc.
Napier were the leading protagonists of electrical systems in the world and claim that outside the Iron Curtain the "spraymat" produced at Luton and by their licensees represented 75 per cent of all electrical installations.
Throughout the history of Napier's, the Company had been expertly diverse in their interests approaching engineering problems. Their policy was to focus their engineering talents in whatever direction was required at the time.
Unfortunately, with progress and takeovers in the Industrial world, Napier's fell into decline, struggling with new technology and designs. It was inevitable that work at the Luton Airport site was coming to an end. Many workers were laid off hoping things would change, but closure was on the cards.
The founder Napier family were Londoners. David Napier born C1785, was an engineer in the printing industry. His son, James Murdoch Napier, changed his direction focusing on automobile engineering when he inherited his father's Estate, however he was already in his late years and the business dwindled.
The next generation, Montague Stanley Napier, purchased his father's failing business, changing direction again and focussing on the advancement of aircraft flight.
Montague Napier and wife Alice, plus four young children were living comfortably in London in 191, but events took a turn for the worse in 1915. Montague, on doctor's advice, was told he should seek a warmer climate for his health. Undeterred he left his wife and children and moved to Cannes (France), engaging a live-in nurse.
He never returned home. He died in 1931 leaving over £1,000,000's to be shared between his nurse and Cancer Research.
The Will was contested by his brother Walter Napier (The Executor) on behalf of Montague's wife Alice, on the grounds she had been abandoned while devoting her life raising his four children.
Unsavoury and sensitive issues were raised between the lawyers regarding Montague's behaviour, and after weeks of negotiations an out of court settlement was agreed in favour of Mrs Alice Napier.