Charles Victor Albert Eley
Charles Victor Albert Eley (c1867-1942)
1943 Obituary [1]
CHARLES VICTOR ALBERT ELEY was for nearly fifty years in practice as a consulting engineer in Birmingham. After serving his apprenticeship with Messrs. Spencelaigh and Company, of Rochester, in 1884, he joined the Medway Steam Packet Company, Ltd., and at the early age of 18 sailed as engineer on board their vessels. He was employed from 1888 to 1891 by Messrs. Armstrong, Mitchell and Company on the erection of the armament of H.M.S.S. Sans Pareil and Victoria and during the next four years was chief assistant to the same firm's chief erector for the London District, being mainly engaged on the erection of machinery for the Tower Bridge.
In 1895 he began to practice as a consulting engineer and for the next ten years acted as inspector of machinery for Sir John Wolfe Barry and Partners as well as for other firms. In 1905 he became managing director of the Midland Engineering Company. On relinquishing this position in 1910 he continued in his work as consultant up to the time of his death, on 26th February 1942, at the age of 75. He also acted as consultant in connection with numerous electrical schemes for private firms and corporation power stations, being responsible for the installation of the mechanical and electrical plants.
Mr. Eley was elected a Member of the Institution in 1918, and was the author of a book published in 1915 entitled "How to save a big ship from sinking, even though torpedoed".