James Frederick Croasdell
James Frederick Croasdell (1875-1948)
1949 Obituary [1]
"JAMES FREDERICK CROASDELL, was born in 1875 and served his apprenticeship at the Lowca Engineering Works, White haven, from 1889 to 1895, remaining with that firm as a liner out for a further two years. He then entered the Royal Laboratory at Woolwich Arsenal and was placed in charge of plant for the manufacture of quick-firing cartridge cases. After holding this position for seven years (during which period he attended classes at the Woolwich Polytechnic and passed his City and Guilds examinations with honours), he was transferred to the Royal Gunpowder Factory, at Waltham Abbey, as ordnance factory foreman.
During the war of 1914-18 he served as representative for the Ministry of Munitions at the Gretna explosives factory, and later acted as dilution officer at Leeds, with the additional duties of secretary to the Iron and Steel District Committee. In 1919 he became agent in England to the Wellington Harbour Board. During his tenure of this post, which lasted to the end of his active career, he also acted as consultant for insurance companies and was engaged as arbitrator. Mr. Croasdell, whose death occurred on 5th September 1948, was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1907. He was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers."