Archibald Simpson Keith
Archibald Simpson Keith (1856-1915)
1915 Obituary [1]
ARCHIBALD SIMPSON KEITH died at his residence, Parkhurst, Chapeltown Road, Leeds, on January 3, 1915. He was born at Normanby, near Middlesbrough, in 1856, and was the second son of Dr. Alexander Keith.
After being educated privately, he entered the office of Mr. A. C. Downey, who was then superintending the erection of the Coatham Iron Works.
He subsequently entered the service of the Loftus Iron Company (now the Skinningrove Iron Company) as assistant draughtsman. After a further experience in the drawing-office of Messrs. Westry, Copeland, marine engineers of Barrow, he was appointed assistant works manager at the Normanby Iron Works, Middlesbrough, which position he held for twenty years.
He then superintended, under Mr. Tom Westgarth, the re-organisation and rebuilding of the engineering shops of Messrs. Furness, Westgarth & Co., and put down some very heavy modern plant for marine boiler construction.
In 1897 he was appointed blast-furnace manager to Walter Scott, Ltd., Leeds Steel Works, subsequently becoming assistant works manager, and on the death of Mr. E. Richards in 1910 became general works manager, which position he held at the time of his death. He had a wide knowledge of engineering, which he successfully applied to the manufacture of iron and steel. During his connection with the Leeds Steel Works, many additions of plant and machinery were made.
He was a member of the Engineering Standards Committee on rails, tram-rails, and sections; of the Cleveland Institution of Engineers, and of the Leeds Association of Engineers.
He was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1910.