William Burgess Davidson
William Burgess Davidson (1886-1951)
1952 Obituary [1]
"WILLIAM BURGESS DAVIDSON, who was born in 1886, was educated at Peterhead Academy, and at the University and Robert Gordon's College in Aberdeen. After serving his time in the locomotive, carriage, and wagon department of the Great North of Scotland Railway, from 1904 to 1909, he went to India as representative for the Chloride Electrical Storage Co, but shortly afterwards he joined the staff of the Bengal-Nagpur Railway as an electrician. In 1910 he was appointed chief draughtsman in the locomotive, carriage, and wagon department and after holding this position for nine years was engaged as an engineer by the Tata Engineering Co, India.
From 1925 to 1932 he was head draughtsman to John Spencer, Ltd., Wednesbury, with responsibility to the managing director for the drawing office and the design and layout of the firm's products. After being in business on his own account for two years as the proprietor of the Davidson Tube Co he took up an appointment as technical representative for F. Power and Sons, Birmingham, steel manufacturers and wire drawers, where he remained until 1940 when he became attached to the Ministry of Supply with the duties of inspecting officer for guns and the charge of No. 9 Area, at Coventry. He was subsequently transferred to Shrewsbury, where he carried out similar duties until his resignation in June 1947 on account of ill health. Mr. Davidson, whose death occurred on 30th June 1951, was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1931."