Edmund Small Cathels (1827-1883)
1884 Obituary [1]
EDMUND SMALL CATHELS was born near Perth in 1837.
Coming to London he acquired considerable practical experience at the Surrey Consumers Gasworks under Mr. George Anderson, then Engineer of the works.
In 1853 he was employed at Northfleet, and was appointed Manager of the gasworks at Northfleet.
In 1856 he became Resident-Engineer of the Gasworks and East Dover Waterworks, Dover, and in 1861 Engineer and Secretary of the Shrewsbury Gasworks, a post which he occupied till 1866, meanwhile designing and carrying out the Curwen Gasworks.
At the latter date he was appointed Engineer to the Crystal Palace District Gas Company.
In 1872 he left England under a five-years’ engagement as Engineer and Manager of the New City Gas-Company at Montreal, where he carried out very extensive works.
On fulfilling this engagement he commenced business on his own account as a Consulting Gas-Engineer and Lessee of Gasworks in the United States and Canada. Mr. Cathels occupied these positions with credit to himself and satisfaction to those whom he served. He was the inventor of a district gas-governor, of a four-way disk-valve, and in conjunction with Mr. U. Terrace, of Glasgow, introduced an improved valve. He was author of “The Gas Consumer’s Dlanual,” and other works, and was one of the founders of the British Association of Gas Managers (now the Gas Institute) in 1863.
A week or two before his death, which took place on the 29th of April, 1883, at St. Paul, Minnesota, from pneumonia, he accepted the position of Engineer and Superintendent of the gasworks of that city.
Mr. Cathels was elected an Associate of this Institution on the 7th of May, 1872, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 30th of October, 1877.