Local inventor Dr John C Taylor OBE has been given an honorary degree by the University of Cambridge in recognition of his ‘outstanding achievement in technical innovation and manufacturing’.

The university chancellor, Lord Sainsbury of Turville, presided over a special congregation in the Senate House, Cambridge, attended by more than 400 staff, students, alumni and guests. An honorary doctorate is the highest accolade the university can offer and Dr Taylor was made a Doctor of Science.

The prolific inventor, with more than 400 patents to his name, is celebrated for innovation in component manufacturing and his switches for electric kettles revolutionised the industry and worldwide markets.

Dr Taylor founded Strix Ltd in the Isle of Man in the early 1980s which achieved four Queen’s Awards.

The entrepreneur has lectured on intellectual property in the Faculty of Engineering and established the Dr John C Taylor Chair of Innovation, as well as holding visiting professorships at Durham and University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology.

His work in horology is noted in the library he sponsored for his college, Corpus Christi, including the remarkable Chronophage clock.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and was appointed OBE in 2011. He is also a noted aviator, yachtmaster and philanthropist.