Christopher John Lees
Christopher John Lees (1883-1949)
1950 Obituary [1]
"CHRISTOPHER JOHN LEES, Wh.Ex., spent the greater part of his professional career in Australia, where for many years he was in the service of the New South Wales Government Railways.
He was born in 1883 and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. J. P. Hall and Company, Ltd., of Oldham, from 1899 to 1902, becoming a Whitworth Exhibitioner in the following year. He then occupied successively the position of draughtsman to the National Gas Engine Co, Messrs. Kynoch, Ltd., and the Robson Power Plant Co.
In 1907 he entered into partnership with Mr. P. E. Dowson with whom he was associated in the design and construction of high-speed gas engines before going, in 1910, to Johannesburg, where he was employed as a draughtsman to Messrs. Herbert Davies and Company for some two years.
In 1913 he proceeded to Australia and joining the staff of the chief electrical engineer, New South Wales Government Railways, as a draughtsman, gained rapid promotion, being appointed in less than two years assistant works manager of the tramway workshops, at Randwick, Sydney.
In May 1915 he received a commission in H.M. Forces and saw service overseas, in the course of which he was severely wounded. He was appointed supervising engineer in the electrical branch of the New South Wales Government Railways in 1922 and retained this position until his retirement in 1944. During this period he was responsible for the design and carrying out of the Railway Department's scheme of electrification of the city and suburban railways in the Sydney area. He also installed 50,000 kW. of new plant, including three turbo-alternators and four boilers, at the Railway Department's generating station, at Newcastle, N.S.W. Mr. Lees, whose death occurred in July 1949, was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1909."