Percy Pearson Wheelwright (1877- )
1922 M.I.E.E., Electrical and Mechanical Engineer, Jubilee Street, Blackburn. T.A.: "Electricity." T.N.: 42I I. b. November 13, 1877. Apprentice to the Phoenix Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Co., Derby, going A8 through the shops, designing and drawing offices and all departments of a firm manufacturing engines, generators and electrical apparatus. Pupil under the late A. S. Giles of the Blackburn Corporation Electricity Works; Shift Engineer at the Blackpool and Fleetwood Tramways Generating Station, for a short period returning to Blackburn as Shift Engineer in August, 1899. September, 1900—Assistant Mains Superintendent. October, 1901—Mains Superintendent. July, 1903—Chief Assistant and Deputy Engineer. December, 1904—Chief Electrical Engineer and Manager; has carried out the installation of 5,000 K.W. of alternating plant, and the starting up a three-phase distributing system at 6,600 volts with sub-stations for mill driving, etc.; also new generating station at Whitebirk, Blackburn, with an initial capacity of 20,000 K.W. On Committee of the Manchester Section, Inst. of Elec. Engrs., Vice-Chairman for two years and Chairman 1914-15; on Committee of Household Fuel and Lighting Order; District Representative for Industrial Economy Campaign. War Services.—When the Ministry of Munitions made its appeal to all engineering firms in the country to make shells, organized and equipped a 6-in. shell factory on site of existing generating station, which was then used for storage of cables, etc., and within six months the factory commenced to turn out shells. At signing of Armistice, the factory had the third biggest weekly output in North-East Lancashire, the local rates benefiting to the extent of 1s. in the L. Recreations: Tennis and golf.