Edward Taylor Oates
Edward Taylor Oates (c1887-1943)
1943 Obituary [1]
EDWARD TAYLOR OATES was educated at Truro College and at the Central Technical Schools, Cornwall, and the Camborne School of Mines. After serving as a premium apprentice with Messrs. Holman Brothers, from 1905 to 1908, he went to sea as fourth engineer, but a year later returned to Messrs. Holman and was employed as an erector.
In 1910 he went to South Africa, where he spent most of the remainder of his life, and was engaged by the Johannesburg Municipal Electricity Department as foreman fitter, a position which he held for seven years, when he became an assistant engineer to the Consolidated Langlaagte Gold Mines. In 1920 he was appointed resident engineer for the Southern Division of the Randfontein Central Gold Mining Company with direct responsibility to the Government Mines Department for the maintenance of the electrical and mechanical plant, but after holding that position for about a year he resumed his service in the Johannesburg Municipal electricity department in the capacity of assistant superintendent of the power station.
In 1927 he became chief assistant mechanical engineer and was responsible to the general manager for the organization and control of workshops, as well as for the technical administration and maintenance of the tramway undertaking with its 83 miles of track. On relinquishing this position in 1935 he accepted an appointment as chief engineer of the Princeton and New Consort Gold Mines. Subsequently, on his return to England, he was engaged, during the present war, in the Department of the Chief Inspector of Armaments as an assistant inspector.
Mr. Oates was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1923 and was transferred to Membership in 1931. He was also a past-president of the Association of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers of South Africa. His death occurred on 27th February 1943, in his fifty-sixth year.