Alfred Timms
Alfred Timms (1885-1945)
1946 Obituary [1]
"ALFRED TIMMS, whose death occurred on 19th July 1945, was associated with the motor industry during most of his career. He was born in 1885 and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Gimson and Company, of Leicester, from 1901 to 1904, and also with the Clyde Motor Co, from 1904 to 1906, and the British United Shoe Machinery Co, Leicester, from 1907 to 1909. During part of the latter period he attended the Leicester Technical School. He then went to the United States and gained experience as a tool-maker with various firms in Detroit. He was also, for a brief period, in charge of an apprenticeship course at the works of the Cadillac Motor Car Co. In 1913 he joined the Ford Motor Company and was made foreman of the tool room. Subsequently he occupied the same position in the drop forge.
He returned to England in 1922 on his transference to the Trafford Park works of the Ford Company at Manchester, where as assistant works manager he was in control of some 1,500 employees.
In 1924 he became production manager for Messrs. Morris Commercial Cars, Ltd., of Soho, Birmingham, on whose behalf he went to Australia in 1930 to act as technical adviser to the Australian sales organization. After severing his connection with the firm in the following year, he went into business on his own account, but in 1942 he became attached to the Ministry of Supply and was employed on special investigations. Mr. Timms was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1925."