Arnold Waldemar Mindo
Arnold Waldemar Mindo (1870-1940)
1940 Obituary [1]
ARNOLD WALDEMAR MINDO had a wide experience in refrigerating engineering, both in this country and in Australia and New Zealand. He was born at Hull in 1870 and received his education at the Yorkshire College, Leeds. From 1888 to 1892 he served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Earle's Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Ltd., Hull, and was afterwards employed as a draughtsman until 1894 with Messrs. Oswald Mordant and Company. For the next four years he held various junior positions with shipping companies, including the White Star Line; and in 1897 he obtained his First-Class Board of Trade Certificate.
Mr. Mindo then turned his attention to refrigerating engineering, with which he was concerned for most of the remainder of his career. He was employed by Messrs. Guinness at Dublin in their refrigerating department, and by Messrs. Lever Brothers, of Port Sunlight, and other important firms. From 1899 to 1906 he held the position of chief engineer of the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Ltd., during which time he undertook the conversion of the works machinery to electric drive.
He then went into business on his own account as a consulting engineer in Liverpool, Manchester, and Preston, and in 1913 he left for Australia and designed new locomotive shops at Castlemaine, Victoria. Subsequently he went to Sydney as consulting engineer for various firms concerned with the refrigeration of foodstuffs. He proceeded to Belfast, New Zealand in 1916, and supervised the erection of plant for Messrs. Borthwick's new meat factory. About three years later he again began to practise as a consulting engineer, and was engaged by Messrs. Burt, of Dunedin, in this capacity. He afterwards continued to practise on his own account, up to his retirement in 1936.
His death occurred at Palmerston North, New Zealand, on 4th January 1940. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1898 and was transferred to Membership in 1902. He was also a former Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers and of the Institution of Naval Architects.