Walter Crealock Macartney

Walter Crealock Macartney (1876-1940)

Born the son of Arthur Sutherland Macartney

Managing Director of Markham and Co

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1940 Obituary.

WALTER CREALOCK MACARTNEY died suddenly on 1940, at his home, Ashgate House, Chesterfield. He in Devonshire in 1876, and was educated at the Dragon School, Oxford, and the Oxford Military College. On leaving school, in 1893, he was entered as a pupil at the Elswick works of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd. In the gunnery and gun¬mounting department of these works practically the whole technical evolution of naval-gun and gun-mounting design of that period took place. Mr. Macartney remained on the staff after the completion of his apprenticeship. He was one of the subalterns who accompanied the Elswick Battery to South Africa during the Boer War. He served through the whole of that campaign and was promoted Captain. On his return he rejoined his firm.

In 1907 he took up employment with the Atlas Works of Messrs. John Brown and Co., Ltd., Sheffield. This firm, together with Messrs. Charles Cammel & Co., Ltd., had a short time before founded the Coventry Ordnance Works. On account of his great experience in the manufacture of guns and their mountings, Mr. Macartney was, in 1909, appointed first works manager of this establishment and soon afterwards general manager. The immense output of guns and mountings from these works during the war of 1914-1918 was largely due to his organising abilities. On the cessation of hostilities the Coventry Ordnance Works were closed, and Mr. Macartney joined Messrs. Walter Somers & Co., Ltd., Halesowen, as joint managing director. He was invited by the Government to undertake the supervision of Woolwich and other national armament factories, but declined the proposed appointment. Instead, in 1924, he returned to Sheffield as general manager of Sheffield Steel Products, Ltd., during the reorganisation of that firm, and three years later he transferred to Chesterfield on his appointment as managing director of Messrs. Markham & Co., Ltd., which position he held at the time of his death.

Mr. Macartney was much concerned with the welfare of the men in his employ. He took a keen interest in the Staff Benefit Society, and acted as chairman of this organisation from 1927 until its absorption, in 1939, into the Foremen’s Mutual Benefit Society. He served for many years on the Executive Council of the latter society and was for some time its vice-chairman. In addition, he was a trustee of the Dyer Memorial Fund, a member of the Management Committee of the Sheffield and District Engineering Employers’ Association, and a past-president of the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce. He was an associate of the Institution of Naval Architects and a member of the Junior Institution of Engineers, of which he was president in 1931-1932. A short time before his death he was appointed a member of the Iron and Steel Committee under the Ministry of Supply.

Mr. Macartney was elected a Member of The Iron and Steel Institute in 1920.

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1940 Obituary

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