Percy Wheeler (1859-1937)
1937 Obituary [1]
PERCY WHEELER was connected for the whole of his career with the railway rolling stock industry. He was born in 1859 and received his education at King Edward VI Grammar School, Birmingham. He then received four years' business training in the office of a Birmingham merchant. In 1881 he joined the Oldbury Railway Carriage and Wagon Company and was appointed works manager in 1888. Five years later he became general manager of the company. He was elected in 1897 joint managing director with his father, Mr. Herbert Wheeler. When the firm was absorbed by the Metropolitan Amalgamated Railway Carriage and Wagon Company, Ltd., in 1902, Mr. Wheeler was appointed managing director of the Saltley and Oldbury works, and held this position until 1921. After seven years' absence he rejoined the board of the firm, later known as the Metropolitan Carriage, Wagon and Finance Company, Ltd., but relinquished his directorship in 1934, when the firm was reconstituted as the Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage and Wagon Company, Ltd. His services as a consultant were, however, retained by the company. Mr. Wheeler was also a director of the Associated Equipment Company for the last fifteen years of his life, and held directorships in several other companies. His death occurred on 12th August 1936.
He had been a Member of the Institution since 1896.