George Webber Bird
George Webber Bird (1883-1934)
1934 Obituary [1]
GEORGE WEBBER BIRD had had many years' experience as a lecturer in technical institutes and was the author of several textbooks on engineering subjects, including "Machine Design," "Mechanics for Engineering Students," and "Examples in Strength and Elasticity of Materials." His last book, "Second Year Engineering Science," was published posthumously.
For the last fourteen years of his life he was head of the mechanical engineering department at the Municipal Technical School, St. Helens.
He was born at Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, in 1883, and received his technical education at Plymouth and Devonport Technical Schools.
From 1898 to 1903 he served an apprenticeship with Messrs. Willoughby Brothers, of Plymouth, and was subsequently employed in the drawing office of that firm.
He served as fitter and erector for Messrs. Harland and Wolff on board H.M.S. King Edward VII during 1904 and afterwards joined the Royal Naval Ordnance Depot, Plymouth, where he remained for four years.
In 1908 he obtained a Whitworth Exhibition and entered the Imperial College of Science, London. After a year's studies there he was appointed lecturer in engineering at the Central Technical Institute, Waterford. He took up a similar position at the Borough Polytechnic Institute, London, in 1914.
During the War he was in charge of special work, carried out at the Borough Polytechnic Institute, on the manufacture and testing of munition gauges in conjunction with the Ministry of Munitions and the National Physical Laboratory.
In 1920 he took up his appointment at St. Helens.
Mr. Bird was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1916 and was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.
His death occurred in Liverpool on 10th September 1934.