Arthur Harold Abbott
Arthur Harold Abbott (1864-1942)
of Messrs. Octavius Steel and Co., Calcutta, India
1942 Obituary [1]
ARTHUR HAROLD ABBOTT, whose death occurred. on 17th February 1942, was a Member of the Institution for over 50 years, having been elected in 1890. He was born in 1864 and educated privately, and after matriculating at London University, he started his professional career as a pupil, from 1881 to 1882, of Mr. W. H. H. de Pape, engineer and surveyor, and from 1883 to 1887 served an apprenticeship in the Orwell Works of Messrs. Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies, Ltd.
He was awarded a Whitworth Scholarship in 1887 and attended the Royal School of Mines, and during the tenure of the scholarship he gained additional practical experience in the erecting shop of Messrs. Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, at Jarrow-on-Tyne. In 1888 he went out to India to join the staff of Messrs. Octavius Steel and Company, managing agents for a large number of tea estates and companies and electric supply companies, and also at that time agents in India for Messrs. Ransomes, Sims and Jefferies. He became a partner in that firm in 1905 and was managing partner in India from 1909 to 1921. He then retired from India, and became a partner in the London office of the firm where he remained until his death.
Mr. Abbott served on the Committee of Management of the Benevolent Fund of the Institution from 1938 until the time of his death.