Theodore Stretton
Theodore Stretton (1876-1935)
1935 Obituary [1]
THEODORE STRETTON took a keen interest in the development of electric safety lamps for use in mines. He was the principal patentee of the "Thor" lamp, and was managing director of the Concordia Electric Safety Lamp Company, Ltd.
He was born in London in 1876 and received his technical education at the Polytechnic, Regent Street, from 1888 to 1891.
In 1892 he entered the Pontypridd works of Messrs. Brown, Lenox and Company and served his apprenticeship until 1898.
He then returned to London and in the following year he became assistant to the chief of the power department of Messrs. Robert W. Blackwell and Company, Ltd. During 1900 he took charge of the firm's contract at the Ringsend power station, Dublin, after which he was appointed engineer and manager to the firm for the South Wales and West of England districts. He was responsible for various overhead transmission schemes in South Wales, both for high- and low-tension current. In addition he supervised the construction of the Pontypridd tramways.
In 1906 he went into partnership with Mr. Sidney B. Haslam, M.I.Mech.E., and for many years held the position of joint managing director of Messrs. Haslam and Stretton, electrical and mechanical engineers. The firm carried out the installation of the pumping plant and loading devices at several large South Wales docks, and supplied coal conveying, tipping, and screening plant to various collieries.
Mr. Stretton was elected a Graduate of the Institution in 1899. He was transferred to Associate Membership in 1902, and to Membership in 1908. He was also a Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. In 1925 he was president of the Association of Mining Electrical Engineers.
His death occurred on 14th November 1935.