George Oswald Bell Willis
George Oswald Bell Willis (1875-1938)
1938 Obituary [1]
GEORGE OSWALD BELL WILLIS was born in 1875 and received his general education at Sir William Turner's Hospital School, Kirkleatham, from 1887 to 1891. He then entered the works of the Bolton Iron and Steel Company, Ltd., and served his apprenticeship until 1896. In the latter year he was made assistant engineer and in 1900 he was promoted to be assistant manager. Three years later he was appointed works manager, a position which he held until 1906, when he joined the Cyclops Forge and Steel Departments of Messrs. Cammell Laird and Company, Ltd., Sheffield, as assistant manager.
He was made manager of the same firm's steel tyre and axle works at Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, in 1907, and occupied that position for many years. Subsequently he was appointed works manager to Messrs. H. Bessemer and Company, Ltd., Sheffield. During the depression in the steel trade he joined the technical staff of Messrs. Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd., and was successively stationed in London, York, and finally Crayford, where he was attached to the Fire Control Department.
Mr. Willis was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1904 and was transferred to Membership in 1917. His death occurred on 18th May 1938.