Leonard Leslie Robinson
Leonard Leslie Robinson (1873-1942)
1943 Obituary [1]
LEONARD LESLIE ROBINSON was chief electrical engineer to the corporation of Hackney from 1901 until 1934. During that long period large extensions to the power station were made under his direction, including the installation of new Parsons turbo-alternator plant with Simon-Carves boilers. In 1934 the station was made a selected generating station in the grid scheme. During the year previous to this appointment, Mr. Robinson was also responsible for the erection of the plant.
He was born in 1873 and educated at Tonbridge School, later receiving his technical training at the City and Guilds of London Institute, where he gained the Diploma of the College in 1894. After some experience in the hydraulic department of Messrs. George Kent, Ltd., he joined the staff of the City of London Electric Supply Company as assistant to the late Professor Ayrton. His next appointment was with the Smithfield Markets Electric Supply Company as shift engineer, and subsequently he was promoted successively to be senior engineer, chief engineer, and finally manager. He then became assistant to Mr. Robert Hammond for whom he was engaged on the design and construction of numerous electric supply installations in the provinces and in Ireland; in the case of many of the Irish undertakings he acted as Mr. Hammond's personal representative.
After his retirement from Hackney Mr. Robinson became a partner in the firm of Messrs. May and Hawes, consulting electrical engineers, of Westminster, and was responsible for the design of new plant and extensions to several corporation electricity supply stations. Mr. Robinson retired from business in 1939 and resided at Burnham-on-Crouch, where his death occurred on 16th June 1942. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1901 and was transferred to Membership in 1907. He was the joint author with the late Mr. J. L. Hodgson of a paper read in 1934 on "The Development of Automatic Combustion Control Systems for Industrial Power Station Boilers".
In addition he was a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
1942 Obituary [2]
LEONARD LESLIE ROBINSON was born at Tunbridge Wells on the 4th May, 1873, and received his education at Tonbridge School. He trained for electrical engineering at the Central Technical College, South Kensington.
On leaving the College in 1894 he was employed for a short time in the Hydraulic Department of Messrs. George Kent and as an assistant in the distribution department of the City of London Electric Lighting Co.
In 1895 he became Chief Engineer of the Smithfield Markets Electric Supply Co., resigning this position in 1898 in order to join the staff of Mr. Robert Hammond, consulting engineer, for whom he superintended the erection or extension of a number of power supply plants throughout the British Isles, also acting as Mr. Hammond's representative in Ireland. He was Mr. Hammond's resident engineer in charge of the erection of the electricity works of the Hackney Borough Council, and upon their completion in 1900 was appointed Borough Electrical Engineer.
He was keenly interested in the development of the uses of electricity, and was one of the men who initiated a Development Committee in the industry and showrooms on modern lines.
He remained at Hackney until 1934; and from then until his death, which occurred on the 16th June, 1942, he was a partner in the firm of May and Hawes, consulting engineers, of Westminster.
He joined The Institution as an Associate in 1895, became an Associate Member in 1899, and was transferred to full Membership in 1901.