George Holt Ormerod
George Holt Ormerod (1867-1953)
1867 Born at Bury the son of Alfred Ormerod[1]
Started to work for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway under William Hunt,
1885 Worked under R. Pawley on the Hindley and Pendleton Railway near Manchester.
1887 transferred to head office of engineering staff of the L&YR
1891 Went with F. G. Slessor to Johore, Malay Peninsula, as assistant engineer on surveys of the line
1892 returned to England
1892 Associate Member of Inst Civil Engineers
1897 January 11th. Married at Balham to Mary Frewin the daughter of George Horridge Holt
1934 Colonel George Huddleston retired as managing director of the Assam-Bengal Railway and is succeeded by George Holt Ormerod who has worked for the company for 27 years.[2]
1939 Chairman of Board of Indian Railway Co (did this mean an Indian railway company?), lived in Hastings with Mary F Ormerod[3]
1953 November 5th. Died
1953 Obituary [4]
Former Mayor and Magistrate MR. G. H. ORMEROD.
The death occurred in hospital Thursday of Mr. George Holt Ormerod, former Mayor of the borough, alderman, and magistrate. He was 96. Mr. Ormerod, born at Bury, Lanes., and was the son of the late Mr. Alfred Ormerod, and came of Lancashire and Yorkshire stock.
He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and became a member the Institute of Civil Engineers. In 1891 was engaged in survey of the projected railway between Johore Segamit, Malaya.
He went to India in 1892 as an assistant engineer the construction of the Assam Bengal Railway, later holding the post of district engineer until he retired in 1920, when he joined the board of directors in London. He subsequently became managing director and finally chairman until the railway was taken over by the Government of India on January 1. 1942.
Upon his retirement he came to live In the borough and took a keen Interest In local affairs, combining ability and Integrity with a very genial personality. He was first elected to the Town Council for the St. Mary Magdalen Ward in March, 1927, at a by-election and was returned for the same ward in November 1927 and 1930. He was chosen as Mayor on November 10, 1930. In succession to the Rev; F. M. Russell Davies, Q.C., and again November 9, 1931. He was re-elected to the Council November, 1932, but in December. 1934, he resigned his seat for St. Mary Magdalen Ward He was however, returned to the Council, this time for St. Leonards Ward, at by-election in March 1938, and again by the same ward in the following November. Mr. Ormerod was appointed an alderman in September 1943, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation fo the late Alderman H. E Johnson.
In November 1945 he did not seek re-election, and finally retired from Council work. He had served as Deputy-Mayor from 1932 till 1934. He was appointed a magistrate in July 1929. He was member of the former Board of Guardians, served the District Nursing Committee, and was financial secretary to Hastings Division of the British Red Cross Society. Mr. Ormerod was rectors warden at the Borough Church of St. Clement for several years, and vice-chairman of the parochial church council taking keen Interest charitable organisations, he was closely associated with the Royal East Sussex Hospital. He was also a worker for the Conservative cause, frequently attended meetings of the Hastings Parliament, and gave good service to the Primrose League. He was a Deputy Road Traffic Commissioner from 1933 till 1934. Mr. Ormerod was a Fellow of the Royal Empire Society and an Officer of the Academic de France.
In 1897 he married Miss Mary Frewin Holt, daughter the late Mr. George Horridge Holt. She died on December 24, 1943. There is one son, Mr, Oliver George Holt Ormerod, who is now In India.
A service at the Borough Church of St. Clement 1.45 p.m. next Wednesday will be followed by cremation Charing.