Joseph Nasmith (1850-1904) of Meters
1905 Obituary [1]
JOSEPH NASMITH was born in Manchester on 22nd April 1850, and received part of leis education at the old Mechanics' Institute, afterwards serving his time as an engineer and millwright with Messrs. Wren and Hopkinson, of Manchester.
He then obtained further experience as an engineer at various works in other parts of the country, including some time spent in Portsmouth Dockyard. From that date he was always extending his knowledge of spinning and weaving appliances, and was ranked as one of the highest authorities on these subjects.
His knowledge was recognised when he was appointed in 1896 Examiner in Cotton Spinning for the City and Guilds of London Technical Institute.
In 1890 he started in business as a consulting engineer, particularly in textile work, and at the same time became editor of the "Textile Recorder," for which journal he wrote articles on almost every subject connected with the textile industry. Two of his books are recognised as standard works, namely, "Modern Cotton Spinning Machinery" and the "Student's Cotton Spinning."
For many years he had been a member of the Manchester Association of Engineers, finally being elected President for the Sessions 1896-1897. During all that period he took a great interest in its progress, and frequently took part in the discussions.
He was an ardent educationalist, and, as a co-optative member of the Technical Instruction Committee for Manchester, he devoted himself untiringly to the subject during the time the new Municipal Technical College was being erected and installed.
For some years he had been managing director of Meters Limited, a company employed in the manufacture of gas meters, which owns several large works.
In 1903 he was appointed chairman of the joint committee of the Manchester Association of Engineers and the Technical Instruction Committee of Manchester, which was then conducting some exhaustive tests on the relative values of tool steel.
For some considerable time his health had been very indifferent, but latterly a change for the better seemed to have set in, and it was hoped that he would soon be completely recovered. His death, however, took place suddenly at his residence on 8th December 1904, in his fifty-fifth year.
He became an Associate of this Institution in 1889; was transferred to the class of Associate Members in 1894, and finally became a Member in 1897.
1904 Obituary [2]