Charles Frederic McInnes
Charles Frederic McInnes (c1873-1944)
1944 Obituary [1]
CHARLES FREDERIC McINNES, who died on the 9th March, 1944, at the age of 71, had been Borough Electrical and Consulting Engineer to the Gravesend Corporation from 1902 to 1939. His earlier career included installation work in this country from 1885 to 1892 and in South Africa from the latter year until 1895, when he was appointed Electrical Engineer to the East Rand Proprietary Mines, Ltd.
In 1902 the Gravesend Corporation entrusted him with the construction and development of their Electricity Supply Department, and from that time onward he was a consistent and assiduous advocate of cheap and abundant electricity both in the factory and in the home. To give some idea of the extent of the electrical development in Gravesend and Northfleet during Mclnnes's term of office, it is interesting to note that from 1904, when there were only 104 consumers, to 1939 the number of units sold increased from half a million to over 42 million. In 1903 the generating station, in which he was particularly interested, had an installed capacity of 600 kW employing reciprocating sets; in 1939 it had become a "selected" station generating for the Central Electricity Board and employing modern turbine plant. Another of his special interests was the hire purchase of domestic electrical apparatus, and in this connection his annual electrical exhibitions in the Town Hall were always most successful. He did his work quietly and effectively, and was always ready to give the benefit of his knowledge to those who sought his advice. He had a sunny disposition and a most kindly nature, and was highly esteemed and well liked by all his staff.
He joined The Institution as an Associate in 1898, and was elected an Associate Member in 1899 and a Member in 1909.