William John Atkinson Butterfield (c1866-1945), Gas engineer.
1945 Obituary [1]
BY the death of Mr. W. J. A. Butterfield, which took place in London on December 13th, the British gas industry has lost a distinguished worker who had served it well. He was also a well-known consultant in Westminster on ventilation, and did much work for Government Departments. He was seventy-nine years of age. He was educated privately and continued his technical training at University College, London, and Oxford University, gaining his M.A. degree. He joined the Gas Light and Coke Company in 1891 and joined the technical staff at the Beckton works.
From 1892 until 1896 he was assistant engineer at Beckton and gained a wide experience in the manufacture of gas. In that year he started a consulting practice at 66, Victoria Street, and in addition to consulting work, he was appointed Secretary to the Metropolitan Gas Referees appointed by the Board of Trade. In 1917 he was appointed Adviser on Gas Testing and Gas Referee for Great Britain, a position he held until1939. He was retained by the Home Office to give advice on the ventilation of factories and similar work connected with Government Departments. For many years he was well known to the members of St. Stephen's Club. He was an associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a member of the Institution of Gas Engineers, and of the Institution of Petroleum Technologists.