Percy Harry Illingworth Humphreys
Percy Harry Illingworth Humphreys (c1886-1948)
1949 Obituary [1]
"PERCY HARRY ILLINGWORTH HUMPHREYS, O.B.E., whose death occurred on 7th March 1948, in his sixty-second year, was elected a Member of the Institution in 1922. He was also a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and Electrical Engineers. He received his general education at Archbishop Holgate's and St. Peter's Schools, York, and obtained his technical instruction at the University of Leeds, where he was awarded the diploma in electrical engineering in 1908. After a brief period of training in the Brighton Corporation repair shops he went to York to serve a three years' term as an indentured premium apprentice under the late Mr. Worsdell, at that time chief mechanical engineer of the North Eastern Railway, under whom he gained experience in the machine, fitting, and erecting shops. His first employment was that of charge engineer at the electricity works of the Corporation of Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancs.
After holding this position for three years he became a partner in the firm of Messrs. Darnell and Humphreys, electrical and mechanical engineers, Stockton-on-Tees. In 1915 he received the appointment of command electrical and mechanical engineer and technical adviser to the chief engineer, Northern Command, with responsibility for the general electrical and mechanical services throughout the command (which covered ten counties), including those for three large camps. He was also responsible for the erection and operation of plant for hydraulically pressing hay for the conservation of shipping space. On the termination of this appointment in 1920 he joined the staff of the Jewell Export Filter Company, Inc., and as their chief engineer was closely concerned with the preparation of schemes for water supply and purification. He was appointed technical director in 1938."