James Herbert Edwards
James Herbert Edwards (1872-1956) of Edwards and Armstrong
1911 Residing at 2 Fernbank Road, Redland, Bristol: James Herbert Edwards (age 38 born Pencoed), Electrical Engineer. With his wife Bertha Vivian.[1]
1912 MD and engineer of the Cirencester Electric Supply Co
1922 O.B.E., M.I.E.E., Man. Dir. of several Electric Supply and other Undertakings; b. 1872; s. of Thomas John Edwards. Ed. Wycliffe College, Stonehouse, Glos. Training: Faraday House, London. Prizeman of year. Address: Electricity Office, Cainscross, Stroud, Glos.
1939 Residing at Glanyrafon, Aberystwyth, Chairman of Governors Wycliffe College, Supervision of Two Farms, Retired (Electrical Engineering). With Bertha V. Edwards.[2]
1956 Died. 'Mr. James Herbert Edwards, ono of the men who brought electricity to the West of England, benefactor to organisations both local and national and a well-known personality in the Stroud district, died at his home. Woodside, Cranham, where he was convalescing after two recent operations. He was 84. In the pioneer days of electricity. Mr. Edwards was senior partner of Edwards and Armstrong, electrical contractors of Cardiff, who brought supplies to a string of towns in the West Country, including Stroud, in 1913. Mr. Edwards was a pioneer in this direction at Leominster, Ludlow and Ledbury, to mention just a few towns, and also in North Wales, and Mr. H. H. Spurrier, of South Dean, Hereford Terrace, Leominster, was his engineer for 50 years. Mr. Edwards devised one of the first hydro-electric schemes, at Ponterwyd, Cardiganshire, and for this the engineer was Mr. Spurrier, who in the course of his work travelled into many parts of the country to connection with the installation of private plant. Mr. Edwards later sold his interests to the Western Electric Co. Ltd., and after being appointed to the board, he became chairman and managing director. During World War I. Mr. Edwards was awarded the O.B.E. for his work in National Savings. His wife died in 1944, and he it survived by an elder brother, Mr Charles Edwards, a practising solicitor at Cardiff, and two younger sisters, Miss Sally Edwards and Mrs. Agnes Douglass. '[3]