Ernest Lister Wilson
Ernest Lister Wilson (1889-1939)
1940 Obituary [1]
Captain ERNEST LISTER WILSON died on active service on 20th October 1939. He was born in 1889 at Charlton, Kent, and received his early education at Christ's Church College, Blackheath. Between 1908 and 1912 he attended King's College, London, where he studied electrical and mechanical engineering. He received his practical training in the workshops, drawing offices, and service department of Southern Automobiles, Ltd. At the beginning of 1913 he joined Wolseley Motors, Ltd., and was first employed as a lecturer in the technical department, but was later transferred to the sales department.
Soon after the outbreak of the Great War he joined the mechanical transport branch of the R.A.S.C. He served in Belgium and France, and by 1916 he had attained the rank of captain. Shortly afterwards he was appointed officer commanding a divisional supply column, and in November 1918 he was mentioned in dispatches. Early in 1919 he was drafted for technical services to the Road Transport Board, Edinburgh. Later in the same year he joined Messrs. Howes and Sons, Ltd., of Norwich and Ipswich, as general manager and took charge of the organization of the engineering service and body building departments, and in 1929 he invented a sunshine roof for motor cars, which was automatically operated by a vacuum created by the engine.
He went into business as a consulting engineer and assessor in 1930 and in 1931 he acted as a temporary certifying officer to the Traffic Commissioners, Eastern Area. He continued his consulting practice until 1935 when he became a director of Messrs. Maude's of Norwich, Ltd., and managing director of Wilson Motors, automobile engineers, of Norwich.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1931.