Hubert Spence Thomas

Hubert Spence Thomas (1871-1940)

1922 J.P., C.C., Glamorgan, M.I. and S.I., M.Inst.Met., Vice-President South Wales Inst. of Eng., Chairman, and Man. Dir. of Iron, Steel and Tinplate Firms; b. 1871; s. of Richard Thomas. Ed. and Training: Dulwich Coll. (Eng. side) and Lydbrook Tinplate. Works. Co-inventor of Machinery for use in the Tinplate Works. Publ.: "The Tinplate Trade: Some Recent Developments," "The Tinplate Trade: Standardization of Plant," jointly with Frederick J. Taylor; Papers read before South Wales Inst. of. Engrs. Clubs: Reform, Royal Automobile, Swansea an I County, Cardiff an 1 County. Address Melingriffith Works, Whitchurch, near Cardiff.

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1940 Obituary.

HUBERT SPENCE THOMAS died suddenly on January 16, 1940, at Los Angeles, U.S.A. Born in 1871 in the Forest of Dean, he was the seventh son of the late Mr. Richard Thomas, of Lydbrooke, Gloucestershire, the founder of Messrs. Richard Thomas & Co., Ltd. He received his education at Dulwich College. In 1887 he entered the Lydbrooke Tin-Plate Works as an apprentice; his training here was particularly thorough, and, largely as a result of his intimate knowledge of the practical side of the manufacture of tinplate, he was subsequently associated with many of the technical developments in the industry in South Wales.

In 1898 Mr. Spence Thomas was called upon to undertake the management of the South Wales Steel and Tin-Plate Works, Llanelly; later he started up the Cwmbwrla Tin-Plate Works, Swansea, and still later the Burry Tin-Plate Works at Llanelly. In 1907 he became the general manager of the tinplate works of the Melingriffith Co., Ltd., near Cardiff, where he remained for over twenty years, and where, in collaboration with his partner, Mr. W. R. Davies, many important technical developments in manufacturing methods were introduced.

Mr. Spence Thomas lived at Cardiff until about three years ago—he had some years before disposed of his interests in the tinplate industry—when he visited America, where he had since lived. At the time of his death, he was chairman of the Wolverhampton Steel and Iron Co., Ltd. Mr. Spence Thomas took a great interest in the technical and com-mercial development of the South Wales industry. In 1899 he joined the South Wales Institute of Engineers, to the proceedings of which he made numerous contributions; in 1925 he served as its President, and in 1932 was made an honorary member. He was an executive member of the Welsh Tinplate Makers’ Association. At one time he was chairman of the National Food Canning Council executive, in 1925 he became a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and in 1935 he was a member of the Institute of British Foundry men’s delegation to the American International Foundry Conference. He was a Freeman of the City of London, a member of the Glamorgan County Council and a Justice of the Peace for that county.

Mr. Spence Thomas was a warm supporter of The Iron and Steel Institute, which he had joined in 1897 ; he was a frequent attendant at the Meetings, and his contributions to the discussions on papers dealing with tinplate manufacture and ancillary subjects were always of interest. He was elected a Member of Council in 1926, a Vice-President in 1933 and an Honorary Vice-President in 1938.

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1940 Obituary

HUBERT SPENCE THOMAS, who was associated with the tinplate industry, died on 16th January 1940 at Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. He was born in 1871 near Ross, Herefordshire, and he received his general education at the County College, Hereford, and Dulwich College, between 1883 and 1887. While at Dulwich College he also studied engineering subjects and on leaving he was apprenticed to Messrs. Richard Thomas and Company, Ltd., the firm founded by his father.

In 1891 he was appointed works manager of this firm's works at Lydbrook, and in 1898, when Messrs. Thomas acquired the business of Messrs. E. Morewood and Company, he became manager of the South Wales steel and tinplate works at Llanelly. Subsequently he was responsible for starting the Cwmbwrla tinplate works at Swansea, and the Burry tinplate works at Llanelly. In 1907 he became managing director of the Melingriffith Company, Ltd., of Whitchurch, near Cardiff, and he was connected with this company for nearly twenty years.

He was jointly responsible with his partner, Mr. W. R. Davies, for many improvements, including the electrification and modernization of the works. He continued to live in Cardiff until about three years before his death, when he gave up many of his business activities and went on a world's tour. At the time of his death he was, however, still chairman of the Wolverhampton Steel and Iron Company, Ltd., and at one time he had been a local director of the Blaenavon Company, Ltd.

He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1925, in which year also he served as president of the South Wales Institute of Engineers. He was an honorary vice-president of the Iron and Steel Institute and a Freeman of the City of London.

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