John Spencer (1846-1910)
John Spencer (1846-1910) of John Spencer Ltd
1846 Born in West Bromwich, son of John Spencer (1810-1860), iron master
1910 Obituary [1]
JOHN SPENCER was born at West Bromwich on 21st April 1846, being the fifth son of John Spencer, of the Phoenix Works, West Bromwich.
After being privately educated, he went to the Horsley Co., Tipton, Staffs, and continued in their employ for fourteen years, finishing as their first Secretary and Assistant Manager after the death of the proprietor.
In 1874 he commenced business as a tube manufacturer at the Vulcan Tube Works, West Bromwich, but in a few years, as his business increased as much, he purchased the Globe Tube Works, Wednesbury.
In 1898 the business was converted into a private company under the title of John Spencer, Ltd.
For some years this firm has been largely engaged in the manufacture of electric tramway poles and steam mains in connection with electric works, besides the supply of all kinds of tubes. He was the first manufacturer of the Barff Rustless Iron process as applied to tubes, and brought out several patents of his own invention.
He was a Justice of the Peace for Staffordshire.
His death took place after a sudden and severe illness on 16th November 1910, at the age of sixty-four.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1877.
1910 Obituary [2]
JOHN SPENCER, of Wednesbury, died on November 16, 1910. He was the third son of Mr. John Spencer, tube manufacturer, of West Bromwich, and in 1874 he began business on his own account in the same branch of engineering, and afterwards purchased the works of Whitehouse & Co. In 1898 he converted his business into a limited company, of which he became the chairman.
He was a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and of various other scientific societies, and he was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1888.