James French Robertson
James French Robertson (1877-1946)
1946 Obituary [1]
JAMES FRENCH ROBERTSON, whose death occurred on 14th March 1946, was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1906 and was transferred to Membership in 1921. He was also a Member of the Institution of Naval Architects.
He was born in 1877 and received his education at the Glasgow Technical College. On the completion of a six years' apprenticeship with Messrs. Hall-Brown and Buttery and Company, Ltd., of Govan, in 1899, he joined Messrs. James Howden and Company, eventually becoming chief draughtsman in the high-speed engine department.
In 1903 he went to India to take up an appointment at the Howrah Ironworks of Messrs. Burn and Company, Ltd., Calcutta, where his duties during the next fifteen years were of a varied responsibility and included the charge of several drawing offices and works departments, in addition to all outside erection and the organization of the estimating department. He further acted as personal assistant to the managing director.
Shortly after, his return to England he received, in 1918, an appointment as chief mechanical designer and adviser for the Admiralty experimental station at Shandon. In the following year he was selected to be superintendent engineer at Cardiff on behalf of the U.S. Shipping Board, with responsibility for repairs and upkeep of emergency fleet vessels, being subsequently transferred to Antwerp. On the closing down of this service in 1922, Mr. Robertson went into business on his own account as a consulting engineer in the same city, and built up a considerable connection with the Belgian Government as well as with private clients.
He continued to practice until the invasion of that country in 1940.