Walter Johannes Petersen
Walter Johannes Petersen (1896-1948)
1950 Obituary [1]
"WALTER JOHANNES PETERSEN, who died on 6th October 1948, retained a close connection with engineering in the Johannesburg district throughout his professional career. He was born in 1896, and received his general education at the Jeppe High School in Johannesburg. His apprenticeship was served with the Van Ryn Gold Mines Estate and Messrs. Witwatersrand Deep, Ltd., between 1915 and 1920, and during this period he attended classes at the South African School of Mines and Technology.
After gaining experience as junior draughtsman to Messrs. Fraser and Chalmers, Ltd. (S.A.), and the Union Corporation, Ltd., he received an appointment as engineer to Messrs. Haggie, Son and Love, Ltd., makers of steel wire ropes, with responsibility for the design and construction of machinery and layout of all plant.
In 1937 he was appointed manager of the Austral Iron Works Company, Ltd., and a year later took over the additional duties of chief engineer. He resigned these joint appointments in 1945, and went into business on his own account as a consulting engineer. Subsequently he became associated as industrial engineer with the Anglo-Transvaal Consolidated Investment Company, Ltd., and, more recently, he was engaged as technical manager to Messrs. C. J. Fuchs, Ltd., of which firm he had been a director since its inception. Mr. Petersen was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1938, and was transferred to Membership in 1947. He was also a Past-President of the South African Branch of the Institute of British Foundrymen."