William Hamlyn Comyns Leach
William Hamlyn Comyns Leach (c1867-1943)
1944 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM HAMLYN COMYNS LEACH was educated at Bristol Grammar School and at the Technical School, Greenock. He served his time from 1885 to 1890 with Messrs. J. and R. Hoyston and also Messrs. Blake, Barclay and Company, Ltd., makers of sugar machinery, who retained his services for another year as draughtsman. After some experience as fitter in the engineering and shipbuilding works of Messrs. Caird and Company, he went to sea and served as engineer for six years in vessels of the Gulf Line and during that time obtained his first-class Board of Trade Certificate.
In 1899 he began his long association with Messrs. Henry Tate and Sons, Ltd., sugar refiners, of Silvertown, which lasted for twenty-eight years. His first position was that of draughtsman. Five years later he was made second engineer, a position he retained until 1918 when he entered upon his final appointment as chief engineer, with responsibility for the upkeep of machinery and all extensions and repairs.
Mr. Leach was obliged to resign in 1927 on account of ill health, and at the time of his death, which occurred on 26th October 1943 in his seventy-sixth year, was living in retirement at Barnstaple. He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1922.