Charles William Pettit
Charles William Pettit (c1866-1946)
1946 Obituary [1]
CHARLES WILLIAM PETTIT joined the staff of Messrs. John Aird and Sons, contractors, in 1881, and was first employed as a junior in the London office. Subsequently he was engaged as assistant engineer on works under construction and eventually became chief engineer and manager of contracts, which included works on the Nile barrage at Assiout, Egypt, and tube tunnels under the Thames for water conduits. After an association lasting twenty-seven years he severed his connection with the firm and was temporarily employed by Messrs. T. J. Moran and Company, in constructing filter beds for the Metropolitan Water Board.
In 1910 he was appointed by the Crown Agents for the Colonies secretary for works and transportation on the Gold Coast. Later his duties were extended to include those of director of public works throughout the Gold Coast, Ashanti, and the Northern Territories. He was also resident engineer in charge of the construction of waterworks.
After twelve years service he returned to England and went into practice as a consultant, his services being retained by Sir John Norton Griffiths in connection with the latter's contracting business both at home and abroad, which entailed extensive travel on his part during the next three years. He then became a partner in the firm of Messrs. Booth, Wilson and Pettit, consulting civil engineers, with whom he was associated for seven years. Latterly he had occupied the chair of the Howard Pneumatic Tool and Engineering Company, Ltd., of Eastbourne, and was also a director of Messrs. Tough and Henderson, Ltd., tug owners, London.
Mr. Pettit had been living in retirement for some years at St. Leonards-on-Sea, where his death occurred on 5th April 1946 in his eightieth year. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1906, and was transferred to Membership in 1911.