Thomas Fender

Thomas Fender (c1864-1927), a director of Vickers at Barrow. Before going to Barrow he was with Armstrong Whitworth at The Elswick Works.

1925 He, on medical advice, retired from active service with Vickers but he retained his position as Special Director, to which he was appointed in 1919, for a further period of two years.

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1927 Obituary

THE LATE MR. THOMAS FENDER.

A large circle of friends will note with regret the death, on December 14 last, at Verulam-avenue, Purley, Surrey, of Mr. Thomas Fender, who, until quite recently, was a special director and engineering works manager of Messrs. Vickers Limited, Barrow-in-Furness. Mr. Fender, who was born in 1864, served his apprenticeship at the Elswick Works, Newcastle-on-Tyne, of Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong-Whitworth and Company, Limited. Mr. Fender gained rapid promotion. He became foreman in No. 11 shop at the Elswick Works in 1890, at the early age of 26, and was appointed chief rate-fixer three years later, when only 29. Mr. Fender’s connection with Messrs. Vickers commenced in 1901, when he was appointed chief rate-fixer at the Barrow Works. The premium-bonus system was successfully inaugurated in 1903, under his supervision, and it is in connection with this that his name will principally be remembered. In 1910, he was appointed superintendent of workshops; his duties were not, however, confined to Barrow, for he was appointed to act in a joint supervisory capacity in connection with the Erith Works, of Messrs. Vickers. He was also sent to Italy in connection with Messrs. Vickers’ Terni Works. Subsequently, Mr. Fender proceeded to Russia in order to attend to various matters relating to the organisation of a works at Nicolaieff.

It was during the European War, however, that his organising power and exceptional energy were fully revealed. His responsibilities at Barrow were naturally greatly increased, but, in addition, he took a prominent part in the work of establishing and equipping the National Projectile Factory, at Lancaster, and a shellfilling factory at White Lund, near Morecambe, Lancashire. For his services he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Following closely upon this award, the announcement was made, in December, 1919, that Mr. Fender had been appointed a special director of Messrs. Vickers, Limited. In June, 1925, however, he was obliged to retire from business owing to ill-health, and, since his retirement, his health had continued to fail. Mr. Fender was greatly respected by his colleagues and by the officials and workmen who served under him. His death removes from our midst an engineer who, by his own merits, had risen from the lowest rung of the ladder to a position of prominence in the engineering industry.

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