Arthur Berkeley
Arthur Berkeley (c1866 - 1944) of the Micanite and Insulators Co.
1944 Obituary.[1]
Arthur Berkeley, who died on the 13th August, 1944, at the age of 78, was educated at St. Paul's School, and served an apprenticeship with R. E. Crompton and Co. at Chelmsford.
He was one of the pioneers of the electrical insulation industry in this country. During a visit to the Chicago Fair in 1893, he found that the manufacture of Micanite had just been commenced in the United States, and he immediately grasped the possibilities of this new material. In the following year, with his brother the late Mr. Edward Berkeley, he undertook the introduction and distribution of Micanite products in Europe. They were subsequently joined in this venture by the late Mr. M. Mohr, and soon afterwards it was decided to manufacture Micanite in England, a manufacturing company being formed in 1901. As the business grew and other materials were developed, various premises were in turn utilized; in 1906 the company changed its name to its present title, The Micanite and Insulators Co., Ltd.
Berkeley also devoted himself enthusiastically to the various associations concerned with the welfare of the electrical industry. He represented his company on the Council of the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers' Association and was recently elected a Vice-President, remaining an active member until the time of his death. He took particular interest in the work of the British Electrical and Allied Industries Research Association, being a Member of Council and Chairman of the Finance Committee for many years. He also took a prominent part in the work of the National Union of Manufacturers, being appointed Deputy-Chairman of the Administrative Committee in 1919 and a Vice-President in 1923.
He was a man of charming personality who continued, in spite of his many administrative responsibilities, to take a personal interest in the development of the business. He became very well known during his long and successful career, and his colleagues have lost a friend for whom everyone had the greatest affection, and the industry one of its most prominent leaders.
He joined The Institution as an Associate in 1890 and was elected a Member in 1894.