Godfray De Lisle
Godfray De Lisle (1859-1930)
1930 Obituary [1]
GODFRAY DE LISLE, who was born at Kensington in 1869, was educated at Oundle School and went abroad in early life.
He worked for several years in American shops from 1885 onwards; in 1891 he worked as a marine engineer between British Columbia, Japan, and China, and shortly afterwards was prospecting and mining in British Columbia.
In 1894 he was successful in working a small mine in Southern Oregon on his own and made sufficient money to enable him to attend the University of California. He graduated with honours in 1899 and during the following two years held the position of instructor in mechanics and thermodynamics at the University.
He then became consulting hydraulic and electrical engineer to the Malones Mining Company of California and was for one year assistant electrical engineer to the city of San Francisco.
In 1903 he resumed mining work in Transvaal where he became resident engineer at a number of mines.
In 1909 he was appointed resident engineer of the Wankie Coal Mines, Southern Rhodesia, to overhaul and reconstruct the whole plant, which had practically failed.
After successfully accomplishing this he was appointed manager for Southern Rhodesia for Messrs. Reunert and Lenz of Johannesburg and in 1912 was again resident engineer on the erection and maintenance of plants at the Gold Schists and Antelope Mines.
Mr. De Lisle was on a visit to England in 1914 and in 1915 he joined the Department of High Explosives and assisted in the design and erection of the first T.N.T. plant at Oldbury. He was then transferred to the new high explosives factory, the erection of which was being commenced at Queen's Ferry, Chester. When production was started in December he was appointed resident engineer, and he eventually became chief factory engineer.
In June 1918 he took up the position of works engineer for Messrs. Clayton Wagons, and in the following year he was appointed to a similar position for Messrs. Smith-Clayton Forge of Lincoln, in whose service he remained until his death on 1st October 1930.
Mr. De Lisle became a Member of the Institution in 1920.