Alexander Sinclair (1861-1930)
Lieut-Col. Alexander Sinclair (1861-1930)
1930 Obituary [1]
LIEUT.-COLONEL ALEXANDER SINCLAIR, T.D., was born at Aberdeen in 1861, and died at Swansea on the 18th February, 1930.
He was educated privately and abroad, and he studied mechanical and electrical engineering in London.
Under Messrs. Siemens Brothers of Charlton he took part in the manufacture and laying (in the "Faraday") of the Mackay-Bennett cable to America, and he also served with Messrs. Goolden and Trotter, of London.
In 1885 he was appointed works manager to Messrs. Vivian and Sons, Swansea, from which position he retired in 1925. At these works he organized a complete and successful plant for the manufacture of copper shell bands.
In 1897 he was elected a Councillor to the Swansea Corporation and was a member of the Council continuously up to the time of his death. During his 32 years on the Council he was twice elected an Alderman and was Mayor of the Borough for the year 1919-20. He was also a Justice of the Peace for the County Borough of Swansea. Whilst he rendered valuable service by his membership of several other important committees of the Corporation, it was as Chairman of the Electricity Committee over a period of 26 years that he served most admirably the interests of the town of Swansea, for during this time he played a great part in the development of the electricity undertaking. During the War period he was a member, and for a time Chairman, of the Local Tribunal; he was also Chairman of the Local Food Committee, and of the Road Transport Board for the West Glamorgan Area. He served on the District Joint Board for the Electricity Supply Industry in the South Wales and Monmouthshire area and was Chairman of that body for several years. He was for a considerable period a member of the Council of the Incorporated Municipal Electrical Association. In 1885 he joined the 1st Glamorgan Rifle Volunteers as a Lieutenant, and was later Second and temporarily in Command. When this regiment was disbanded in 1904 he transferred to the 3rd Glamorgan Rifle Volunteers, and after some years as Second-in-Command he retired in 1912, owing to ill health, with the rank of Major and Honorary Lieut.-Colonel.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1887.