James Edward Starkie
James Edward Starkie (1876-1951)
1952 Obituary [1]
"JAMES EDMUND STARKIE was for nearly forty years borough electrical engineer to Burnley Corporation, having held that appointment since 1905 until his retirement in 1942. He was educated at Preston and Hutton Grammar Schools and the City and Guilds Technical College, Finsbury. His apprenticeship was served with Stevenson and Company, Ltd., Preston, foundrymen, from 1894 to 1899. He found his first employment in 1900 as charge engineer to the Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramway Co, and later was made chief assistant engineer. He began his long period of service with Burnley Corporation in 1901 with the post of second assistant at the lighting and tramways station, and subsequently was promoted to be chief assistant. During the tenure of his office as borough electrical engineer considerable extensions to the capacity of the generating station were carried out under his direction. Mr. Starkie, whose death in his seventy-fifth year occurred on 21st July 1951, was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1906. He was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers."