Hi Ridge Runner,
No its not a Short design. Its not British, German, Japanese or Russian either.
As my previous clue got a bit lost, here it is again:
Clue: The designer later became well known for this type of aircraft (I don't mean 'rustic'). After the company merged with another, several employees went to the ironworks.
I'm at college today, so I won't be able to check between 1.30pm and about 5.30pm GMT.