James Black Mackay (1886-1940)
1941 Obituary [1]
JAMES BLACK MACKAY served his apprenticeship with the British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, Manchester, from 1903 to 1906, and during the last six months he was engaged in testing steam turbines and high-power gas engines. He then became erection engineer for the British Thomson Houston Company at Rugby, and was engaged from 1906 to 1907 on the installation of turbine generators.
From 1907 to 1908 he was employed by the Allis Chalmers Company in Milwaukee, U.S.A., on the erection and testing of steam turbines and gas engines. He then returned to Great Britain, and from 1909 to 1911, he was a draughtsman in the engine drawing office of Messrs. John Brown and Company, Ltd., Clydebank, and afterwards became technical representative for Messrs. Herbert Morris, Ltd., of Loughborough, in connection with the design and installation of all classes of lifting machinery. He was appointed London manager and technical representative for the Skefko Ball Bearing Company, Ltd., in 1916, and was promoted to be general manager at their works at Luton in 1920.
Mr. Mackay's last position, which he had held since 1925, was that of technical representative for the Vacuum Oil Company, Ltd. His death occurred in his fifty-fifth year' on 3rd October 1940. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1925.
1940/41 Obituary [2]
James Black Mackay was born in 1886 and received his technical education at Manchester School of Technology, and British Westinghouse Electrical Co.
He held positions as Estimator and Designer with various firms, and in 1911 a returned to British Westinghouse Electrical Co. as Technical Correspondent.
In 1916 he joined the Skefko Ball Bearing Co., Ltd., as Technical Representative and subsequently became London Manager.
He died on 3rd October, 1940, at the age of 54.
He was elected a Member in 1925.