William Maylor (1829-1908)
1859 William Maylor, 49 Kent Street, Liverpool.[1]
1909 Obituary [2]
WILLIAM MAYLOR was born in Liverpool on 21st September 1829.
In 1843 he was articled for seven years to Messrs. Fawcett, Preston and Co. of that city, and on the termination of his articles in 1830 he entered the service of Messrs. Cochrane and Co., Woodside Iron Works, near Dudley, as draughtsman, and two years later he became manager of the construction department of that firm.
In July 1855 he was appointed for three years works manager for the East Indian Iron Co. in the Madras Presidency; at the end of the term he returned to Europe, although the directors offered him an increased salary to remain there.
In the following year ho was asked by the directors of the same concern to inspect, and report on, the Bessemer steel process in Sheffield and in Sweden. His report was highly favourable, and they decided to adopt it. Mr. Maylor was accordingly re-engaged as general manager of their four works in Southern India; and the trials which were made at the Beypore Iron Works were considered very satisfactory, and attracted great attention throughout India. Further capital was raised and improved machinery was sent out, with a view to carrying on the business on an extended scale.
This was, however, contrary to the advice given by Mr. Maylor, who found it impossible to compete successfully with home manufacturers, favoured as they were with low freights, coal, and a temperate climate, and in 1864 it was decided to wind up the concern. Having acquired some large blocks of land in south-east Wynoad, suitable for coffee cultivation, he then turned his attention to coffee planting, and also established coffee-curing works at Calicut for Messrs. Parry and Co., who had been the Madras agents for the East Indian Iron Co.
In 1871 he purchased the disused Beypore Iron Works, and joined Messrs. Stanes and Rouse as managing partner in an extensive mercantile business on the Malabar Coast. He decided to return to England in 1877, but two years later he was persuaded to join as a partner the old-established firm of Messrs. Peirce, Leslie and Co., having three sets of works on the Malabar Coast.
In 1885 however he decided finally to leave India. Among the many works that he carried out in the Madras Presidency may be mentioned the designing and erection of nine iron bridges and two iron and steel screw pile piers, for which he was thanked by the Madras Government; and he also took great pains to teach promising natives engineering details.
His death took place at his residence at Hanley Swan, Worcestershire, on 10th December 1908, at the age of seventy-nine.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1859; and he was also a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
1909 Obituary [3]
WILLIAM MAYLOR, born at Liverpool on the 21st September, 1829, obtained his engineering training under Messrs. Fawcett, Preston and Company, of that city.
On completing his articles in 1850, he entered the service of Messrs. Cochrane and Company, of Woodside Ironworks, near Dudley.
In 1855 he went out to Madras as Manager to the East Indian Iron Company, in whose service he remained, with a brief interval, until 1864, becoming General Manager of the company’s undertakings in 1859. During this period, he introduced the Bessemer process into India, but as the conditions did not admit of successful competition with home manufacturers, it was perforce given up.
He then turned his attention to coffee-planting, but subsequently, having acquired a proprietary interest in large ironworks on the Malabar Coast he devoted himself to this business and to practising as an Engineer and Contractor on his own account.
Before leaving India in 1885 he had designed and executed nine iron bridges, an iron screw-pile pier, a tramway, and other engineering work in the Madras Presidency.
He died at The Grange, Hanloy Swan, Worcestershire, on the 10th December, 1908. Mr. Maylor was twice married, and leaves four children, of whom his eldest son succeeds him in the profession. He was a Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Mr. Maylor was elected an Associate of The Institution on the 2nd May, 1876, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 4th February, 1879.