Alfred John Rixom
Alfred John Rixom (1854-1939)
of Woodstone Steam Brick and Tile Works, Peterborough: and 38 The Grove, Hammersmith, London, W.
1939 Obituary [1]
"ALFRED JOHN RIXOM was, at the time of his death on 9th September 1939, one of the oldest Members of the Institution, having been elected in 1879.
He was born in London, in 1854, and apprenticed to Messrs. J. and H. Gwynne, Ltd., London, from 1868 to 1874. During the latter part of this period he constructed a model of a pair of compound surface-condensing pumping engines which obtained medals at exhibitions in Paris and Philadelphia, and which was deposited at the South Kensington Museum. He continued with this company until 1876 and, after a year spent in drawing office work, he was appointed superintendent in the Crystal Palace School of Practical Engineering, later becoming chief superintendent of the colonial section. After some time spent with Messrs. Haseltine Lake and Company, patent agents, he became technical advisor to Mr. Arthur Paget of Loughborough in 1887. He remained with this firm for six years, in which time he worked on the development of the warp weaver invented by Mr. Paget, as well as problems connected with the manufacture of incandescent gas mantles. He spent a short time with Messrs. J. Jones and Sons, Ltd., Loughborough, and then he took charge of the engineering side of the firm of Messrs. William Cotton, Ltd. During the forty years with which he was associated with this company he invented several knitting machines and patented many improvements for machines already existing, and before he retired he had become a director and general manager of the firm."