Rowland Janson
Rowland Janson (1878-1938)
1938 Obituary [1]
ROWLAND JANSON was particularly interested in the lubrication of locomotives, and was for sixteen years in control of the railway department of Silvertown Lubricants, Ltd. He was born in London and was educated at King's College, London, after which he received private tuition from Mr. W. Handman, assistant surveyor for the Tower Bridge. He served a seven years' apprenticeship with the Midland Railway, under Mr. R. Weatherburn, M.I.Mech.E.
Subsequently he took charge of hydraulic machinery and the company's London depots and dock stations. He then gained further experience in Brussels with a structural engineer, during which time he patented an explosion engine. Returning to England, he became consulting engineer to Messrs. C. C. Wakefield and Company, Ltd., and travelled widely in Europe in connection with the firm's products, and gained extensive experience in the lubrication of locomotives using superheated steam. He was also detailed to give expert advice to the London and North Western Railway regarding lubrication problems.
After nine years with Messrs. Wakefield he joined the Army in 1914 and became senior workshop officer with the Fifth Division. He was attached to a Steam Company of the R.A.S.C., in which he held the rank of captain, until 1919. Subsequently he took up his work with Silvertown Lubricants, Ltd., with whom he was associated for the remainder of his career. He was 60 years old at the time of his death, which occurred on 21st August 1938.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1908 and was transferred to Membership in 1917.