James David Paterson
James David Paterson (1881-1950)
1951 Obituary [1]
"JAMES DAVID PATERSON, M.B.E., spent the greater part of his professional career in India, where for over thirty years he was concerned with the jute industry. He was born in 1881 and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. D. Fraser and Sons, Ltd., Westburn Foundry, Arbroath, from 1896 to 1901. After filling several temporary positions he was employed for three years as electrical draughtsman by the India Rubber Gutta Percha and Telegraph Works Company, Ltd., Silvertown, London. In 1905 he proceeded to India to take up the appointment of assistant engineer to the Gourepore Company, Ltd., Calcutta, jute manufacturers. After holding this post for ten years he became assistant manager, and was promoted to be general manager in 1922, an office he continued to hold until his retirement in 1938. In addition to his technical duties as engineer, he was in control of personnel varying from some 6,000 to 10,000 in number, and was further responsible for housing them in a special village, and for the administration of a native bazaar. Mr. Paterson served for twenty-nine years in the Volunteer Force, retiring from the command of a brigade of the Bengal Artillery in 1933 with the rank of major and the award of the Victoria Decoration. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1911 and was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. His death took place on 21st April 1950."