George Jope Yeo
George Jope Yeo (1844-1886)
1887 Obituary [1]
GEORGE JOPE YEO was born at South Zeal, near Okehampton, Devonshire, on 24th September 1844, and received his early education at St. John's College, Hurstpierpoint.
In 1861 he was apprenticed. to Mr. Sylvester Lees, locomotive superintendent of the East Lancashire Railway, Bury.
On the expiration of the five years of his apprenticeship he served for two years with Messrs. Bland of Bury, being engaged chiefly in making and erecting beam and horizontal engines.
Thence he went to the Worcester Engine Works, under Mr. Edward Wilson and Mr. Alexander Allan, for whom he had charge for about two years of erecting iron roofs and other work on the Metropolitan Railway.
He then became assistant engineer of the Cheltenham Gas Works, under Mr. William Essen.
In 1871 he went out to China as assistant engineer of the Shanghai Gas Works, where, owing to the disorganised condition of the works at that time and the increasing extent of the foreign settlement, there was a good deal of constructive work to be done.
In July 1873 he was appointed chief engineer and secretary, having the entire management of the works; and he effected not only a great improvement in the quality of the gas but also a considerable reduction in its price.
In 1884 he returned to England to recruit his health, which had been gradually failing; and recovered sufficiently to resume his duties at Shanghai at Christmas 1885, until his death took place there on 23rd June 1886, in the forty-second year of his age.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1885.
1887 Obituary [2]
1888 Obituary [3]