Arthur Jacob (1868-1925)
Arthur Jacob (1868-1925), a manager of the British Aluminium Co
1925 Obituary [1]
ARTHUR JACOB died at his home at Hatch End, Middlesex, on the 3rd April, 1925, at the age of 57 years.
He was the son of Archibald Hamilton Jacob, aurist, of Dublin, and received his technical education at the Royal College of Science, Dublin.
His early experience was gained under Dr. S. Z. de Ferranti, then engineer-in-chief of the London Electric Supply Corporation, Ltd. - the first company in London to undertake the supply of electricity for lighting and power purposes. Mr. Jacob was assistant engineer with this company for five years, having successively charge of their mains, substations and Deptford power station; this plant, as is well known, was at the time an unique example of the possibilities of economic power distribution by the use of large units (1 500 h.p.) and high pressure (10 000 volts).
Mr. Jacob's later experience included the position of resident engineer to the Electricity Supply Co. for Spain, Ltd., at Madrid.
Subsequently, as chief resident engineer to the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd., he was responsible for the conversion of the entire Dublin United Tramways system from horse to electric traction, the contract including the erection of two power stations and substations for the supply of polyphase and direct current for the operation of 300 cars on 42 miles of track. On completion, Mr. Jacob operated this system for a period of three months before handing over.
Later, as general manager of the British Schuckert Electric Co., he was responsible for traction, power and lighting schemes for the Corporations of Paisley, Coventry, Southampton and Birmingham, respectively, as well as for the Dunlop Rubber Co. and numerous other municipal and private undertakings.
On the acquisition of the British Schuckert Electric Co. by Siemens-Schuckertwerke, Berlin, Mr. Jacob joined Siemens Brothers and Co., Ltd., and upon the formation by that company of Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works, Ltd., undertook the management of the latter company's central station department.
In January 1908 he became a member of the management of the British Aluminium Co., Ltd., aluminium producers, and until the time of his death was charged with the development of the use of aluminium for industrial purposes in general, and electrical purposes in particular; in later years he also directed certain of the company's subsidiary undertakings.
Mr. Jacob was a member of the Overhead Transmission Line Materials Committee of the British Engineering Standards Association; also a member of the Overhead Wires Committee of the British Electrical and Allied Industries Research Association. In addition to being a Member of the Institution he was a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the American Electrochemical Society, an original member of the Institute of Metals, and a member of Executive of the Federation of British Industries, the British Engineers' Association, the Industrial League and Council and other organizations. To his colleagues, as well as to a large circle of friends and acquaintances in this and other countries, the untimely death of Mr. Jacob brought a distinct sense of loss. A man of no mean powers, he combined with these a soundness of character, an attractive personality, warm sympathies and a ready wit, establishing in the course of years an extensive personal connection in the engineering industries.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1901.
1925 Obituary [2]
ARTHUR JACOB, a manager of the British Aluminium Company, Limited, died at the age of fifty-seven years, at Hatch End, Middlesex, on April 3, 1925. Mr. Jacob had been in poor health for two years, but he seemed to be recovering until a few months ago, when he began to fail, and the end came somewhat unexpectedly.
As a manager of the British Aluminium Co., Ltd. (which company he joined in 1908), he was responsible for the development of the use of aluminium for industrial purposes in general, and electrical purposes in particular. He was charged also with the direction of certain of the company's, subsidiary undertakings.
Mr. Jacob was associated with Dr. S. Z. de Ferranti at the Grosvenor Gallery and Deptford from 1884 onwards. Subsequently, he was for many years engaged in the construction and management of electrical engineering undertakings, and had a personal connection with the leading engineers and directors of engineering concerns throughout the country.
The principal work upon which he had been engaged during the past thirty years was as follows. He was resident engineer to the British Thomson-Houston Co. for the complete electrification of the Dublin United Tramways Company's system, which included the erection of two power stations, sub-stations, and the electrical equipment of over 42 miles of track and 300 cars.
Later he undertook the general management of the British Schuckert Electric Co., Ltd., London, which was subsequently taken over by Siemens-Schuckertwerke, Berlin.
Afterwards he was responsible for the management of the Central Station Department of Messrs. Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works, Ltd., of London and Stafford. This engaged his attention for three years preceding his acceptance of the British Aluminium Company's appointment in 1908.
Mr. Jacob was an Original Member of the Institute of Metals. He was a member of the Overhead Wires Committee and of several of the Aluminium and Alloys Committees of the British Engineering Standards Association; also a member of the Overhead Wires Committee of the British Electrical and Allied Industries Research Association.
In addition to being a member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, he was a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers, the American Electrochemical Society, and was also identified with the work of the British Engineers' Association, the Federation of British Industries, the Industrial League and Council, and other organizations.