David Mellor (1930-2009), Royal Designer for Industry, was one of the best-known designers in the UK. He was unusual in combining the activities of designer, manufacturer and retailer. His great professional expertise was in metalwork, working over a broad spectrum and designing products on both a large and a small scale. His designs ranged from street lighting and the UK national traffic signal system to one-off pieces of handmade silver and the modern stainless steel cutlery he manufactured in his own purpose-built factory. He trained in silversmithing at the Royal College of Art in London, winning a scholarship for further study at the British Academy in Rome.