John Robert Billington
John Robert Billington (1873-1925)
1925 Obituary [1]
JOHN ROBERT BILLINGTON was born on 18th April 1873 at Freckleton, Lancashire, and received his early education locally.
He served his apprenticeship, 1889-1894, in the Locomotive Works of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, and on completing his term was transferred to the drawing-office, Horwich, as draughtsman in October 1894.
From the beginning he was a regular student at the technical classes of the Horwich Railway Mechanics' Institute, and in 1897 won a Whitworth Exhibition.
In October 1901 he was placed in charge of the department at Horwich for the physical testing of materials, and in May 1904 he was appointed Manager of the Gas Department under the Chief Mechanical Engineer.
In June 1913 he was made Chief Draughtsman, and upon the grouping of the railways now forming the London Midland and Scottish Railway he was appointed to the position of technical assistant to the Chief Mechanical and Electrical Engineer of the Company.
This position he was holding at the time of his death, which occurred on 22nd March 1925.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1909.
1925 Obituary.[2]
We regret to record the death of Mr. John Robert Billington, who died on the 22nd March, 1925 ; he was only taken ill on the previous evening. The late Mr. Billington was elected a member of the Institution on the 12th April, 1919, and he was one of the principal founders of the Manchester Centre.
Mr. Billington was born on the i8th April, 1873, and was apprenticed to Mr. J. A. F. Aspinall (now Sir John), at the Horwich Works of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway in 1889. Mr. Billington passed through all the shops, including the testing of materials department, and the drawing office.
From 1894 to 1900 he was employed as a general draughtsman. In 1902 and 1903 he was in charge of the Testing and Inspection of Materials Department. From 1904 to 1912 he was put in charge of the Gas Department, and in 1913 was appointed Chief Draughtsman, and latterly, after the amalgamation of the L. & A. Railway into the L.M. & S. group, he became Technical Assistant to Mr. G. Hughes, the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the L.M.S. Railway.
Mr. Billington was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.