Charles Joseph Seaman
Charles Joseph Seaman (c1855-1941)
1941 Obituary [1]
CHARLES JOSEPH SEAMAN, M.B.E., was chairman and managing director of Messrs. Bringes and Goodwin, Ltd., of Reading and Poplar at the time of his retirement in 1931, and he had been managing director since 1911, in which year he purchased the business and converted it into a limited liability company. He received his early training in technical classes at Stockton on Tees, and during his apprenticeship, which he served from 1870 to 1875 at the Thornaby Ironworks of Messrs. W. Whitwell and Company.
He then became draughtsman to Mr. Thomas Whitwell, consulting engineer and the inventor of the hot blast stove. Two years later he went into business on his own account as an agent for engineering material, and in 1889 he became managing director of the Stockton Forge. The firm was concerned with the production of castings, forgings, and bridge building, and was subsequently sold to Messrs. Head, Wrightson and Company. Subsequently Mr. Seaman was appointed general manager for Messrs. Heenan and Froude in Manchester, and became joint managing director in 1908 when the firm became a limited liability company. He was also chairman of Messrs. John Stones, Ltd., engineers, of Ulverston, for forty-eight years. In 1933 he was awarded the M.B.E. in recognition of his services in Poplar in connection with public assistance.
Mr. Seaman, whose death occurred on 17th February 1941, at the age of 86, was elected a Member of the Institution in 1892, and was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.