William Henry Atherton (1867-1959 ), specialist in Chains and Conveyors, and applications of Malleable Castings. Technical Director, Ewart Chainbelt Co. Ltd., Colombo Street, Derby.
Educated at Manchester Technical School, the Royal College of Science and Armstrong College
1883 Joined Brooks and Doxey
1886 Apprentice at Craven Brothers, Ltd., Manchester.
Joined Henry Wren and Co
1890 Draughtsman, Armstrong Whitworth and Co. Ltd., Newcastle-on-Tyne.
1897 Representative, Mather and Platt, Ltd., Manchester.
1901 Article 'Methods of Estimating the Power of Ships' [1]
1901 Associate Member I Mech E
1922 M.Sc., Wh.Ex., M.I.Mech.E., Conveying and Elevating Machinery Expert, Whitaker Road, Derby. T. A.: " Chainbelt, Derby." T. N.: 139 Derby. b. 1867; s. of senior partner of Atherton Brothers, Preston. Ed. Preston Grammar School; Manchester Technical School; Owens College; Royal College of Science, London; Armstrong College and Rutherford College, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Professional Career: Apprentice in works of Brooks and Doxey, Ltd., and Craven Brothers, Ltd., Manchester; 3 years in drawing office of Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., Elswick Works; 7 years with Mather and Platt, Ltd., Manchester. Represented that firm at the Glasgow International Exhibition of 1901; 1905 to date, General Manager and Technical Director of the Chain-Belt Engineering Co. and the Ewart Chainbelt Co., Ltd., Derby. Responsible for carrying out many important installations in gasworks, collieries, power houses, chemical works, sugar refineries, soap works, and large factories of all kinds, 1914 to date. Engineering Director, Ley's Malleable Castings Co., Ltd., Derby. Late special lecturer on Textile Engineering, etc., in the Manchester Municipal College of Technology. Late examiner in Heating and Ventilating Engineering for the City and Guilds of London Institute of Technology. An authority and occasional lecturer on Orchestral Instruments. Publications: Author of "The Design of Beams and Girders" (Charles Griffin & Co.). Numerous articles and papers on "The Resistance of Ships" and on the mechanical handling of materials and packages. An authority on Profit-sharing Schemes. Vice-President of the Derby Society of Engineers and ex-Chairman. Member of the Rotary Club. War Services.—Equipment of munition factories, member of 1st Batt. Derbyshire Volunteers.
By 1939 Director, Leys Malleable Castings Co. Ltd., Derby.
1959 Died in Derby[2]