Robert Knox
Robert Knox (1879-1936)
1936 Obituary [1]
ROBERT KNOX held the position of technical adviser to the works manager at the Renfrew works of Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox.
He was born in 1879 and was apprenticed to Sir William Arrol and Company, Glasgow, in 1892. After completing his apprenticeship in 1899 he gained further experience as a journeyman engineer with Messrs. Simons and Company, shipbuilders, of Renfrew.
In 1901 he left Scotland to take up a position with Messrs. J. P. Morton and Company, ice manufacturers, at Colombo, and superintended the erection of a new boiler and refrigerating plant. He acted as resident engineer for the firm for two years, after which he joined Messrs. Brown and Company, of Hatton, Ceylon; the firm was concerned with engineering work in connexion with supplying and repairing machinery for the manufacture of tea. A year later Mr. Knox was appointed assistant engineer to the Legislative Council of Colombo.
He returned to Glasgow in 1905, and joined Messrs. Duncan, Stewart and Company as a draughtsman. While with this firm he designed the steel buildings for a cane sugar factory having a daily output of 2,000 tons.
In 1911 he was engaged by Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox as chief assistant to the head of the Technical Department, and in 1926 he was promoted to take charge of that department. He was appointed technical adviser to the works manager in 1932 and acted in that capacity first under Mr. H. L. Critchley and, from 1933, under Mr. W. H. Birks, M.I.Mech.E.
Mr. Knox was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1905 and was transferred to Membership in 1918. He was a Member of the Committee of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Branch from its inception in 1930, and continued to hold office in the Scottish Branch. He also took a particular interest in the activities of the Graduates' Section.
His death occurred at Pollokshields, Glasgow, on 24th December 1936.
1937 Obituary [2]