George Herbert Willans
George Herbert Willans (1878-1947)
1878 Born in Wrexham, son of Fredric Willans
1949 Obituary [1]
"GEORGE HERBERT WILLANS, who was born at Wrexham in 1878, received his technical education at the City and Guilds of London College, South Kensington, where he obtained first class honours in mechanical engineering. After serving his pupilage under the late Mr. F. Willans, locomotive and carriage superintendent of the Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway, from 1894 to 1899, he continued in the service of the company as personal assistant to the locomotive superintendent for a further five years.
On the absorption of that undertaking by the Great Central Railway he was transferred to the latter company's Gorton works, where he acted for a brief period as inspector of materials. In 1905 he went to Turkey to take up the appointment of assistant locomotive, carriage and wagon super intendent of the Ottoman Aidan Railway. He resigned this position in 1913, and during the remainder of his career was in business on his own account as inspecting engineer. In this capacity he acted as resident engineer for the Union of South Africa Railways and Harbours, and for the Governments of the Sudan and New South Wales. In addition he was representative for several leading firms of consulting engineers in this country. Mr. Willans was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1908 and was transferred to Membership in 1912. His death occurred at Gloucester on 2nd January 1947."