James Jeffery
James Jeffery (1854-1929) of the India Rubber, Gutta Percha and Telegraph Works Co
1929 Obituary [1]
JAMES JEFFERY was born on the 8th June, 1854, and died on the 6th August, 1929.
He was educated at Victoria College, Jersey, and upon leaving school in 1870 joined the staff of the Submarine Telegraph Co. at St. Heliers, as a telegraph clerk.
After two years' experience in signalling he entered the service of the India Rubber, Gutta Percha and Telegraph Works Co., with which company he remained directly or indirectly connected until his death.
He was first employed as assistant electrician on board the cable ship "Dacia" during the laying of the cable from the Lizard to Bilbao, and then became senior clerk at the Lizard until 1874, when he took charge at Marseilles of the Marseilles-Barcelona cable.
In 1876 he became senior superintendent of the Direct Spanish Telegraph Co.
In August 1879 he again joined the "Dacia" on the cable expedition between Marseilles and Algiers.
In 1880 he was in charge of the laying of an underground cable line between the Lizard and Falmouth, and in 1883 was engaged on the laying of a similar cable between Las Arenas and Bilbao.
In the same year he was appointed manager of the cable stations comprising the system of the Spanish National Submarine Telegraph Co., and from 1886 to 1888 was also manager of the northern division of the West African Telegraph Co.
In 1896, 1903 and 1908 he was present as a representative of his company at the International Telegraph Congresses held at Budapest, London and Lisbon respectively.
In 1922 a presentation was made to him by the India Rubber Co. on the completion of 50 years' service with them.
He was a director of the Dumfries Electricity Supply Co. until 1922, and was chairman of the Ross Electric Light and Power Co. up to the time of his death. He was also associated with other subsidiary companies of the India Rubber Co.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1874 and a Member in 1886.