John William Hobson
John William Hobson (1883-1948)
1949 Obituary [1]
"JOHN WILLIAM HOBSON, who was born in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1883, retained a connection with his native city during the whole of his lifetime. He had been associated with the firm of Messrs. R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company (later Messrs. Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns, Ltd.), locomotive engineers, from his apprenticeship up to the time of his death, which occurred on 13th January 1948.
He was educated at Rutherford College and on the conclusion of five years' practical training in the shops and drawing office was appointed locomotive draughtsman in 1904, and at the early age of twenty-six was promoted to the post of chief draughtsman. In 1934 he became technical manager, first of Messrs. Hawthorn's locomotive department and subsequently of Messrs. Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns' works at Forth Banks. Since 1937 he had held office as general manager. Mr. Hobson was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1913 and was transferred to Membership in 1921. He was a keen supporter of the local branch, in whose discussions he took a leading part. In addition he was a Member of the N.E. Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders, who awarded him their "Engineering Gold Medal" in 1914 for his paper on "Industrial Locomotives", on which subject he was an acknowledged authority."