Walter William Fiddes
Walter William Fiddes (1846-1908), chief engineer of the Bristol Gas Co
son of Walter Fiddes
1909 Obituary [1]
WALTER WILLIAM FIDDES, who died at Bristol on the 15th August, 1908, aged 62, was the son of Mr. Walter Fiddes, who has survived him by only a few months. Both father and son were associated during the whole of their professional careers with the Bristol Gas Company, occupying in succession the post of Chief Engineer of the undertaking.
The subject of this notice entered the company’s service in 1862, as an articled pupil to his father. Seven years later he was selected for the position of Engineer to the Calcutta Gas Company, but was induced to remain at Bristol on receiving the appointment of Assistant Engineer to the company.
He retained this position until 1888, when, on the retirement of his father, he succeeded to the office of Chief Engineer.
After 38 years’ continuous service, he in his turn retired in 1901, owing to failing health. During his connection with the gas undertaking, its output and operations greatly increased, necessitating large extensions of the plant, for which Mr. Fiddes was responsible; and after his retirement, he continued to act as Consulting Engineer to the company.
Mr. Fiddes was the joint inventor, with Mr. Aldridge, of the Fiddes-Aldridge simultaneous charging and discharging machine for gas-retorts, and a form of gas-meter, designed to register correctly at any temperature, also owes its origin to him. The scientific aptitude which he displayed in early life, attested by his winning a National prize for science at the age of 14, equally distinguished him in after years. In 1865 he obtained one of the National medals for inorganic chemistry, and 2 years later, he was elected a Fellow of the Chemical Society. He was also a Member of the Institution of Gas Engineers.
Mr. Fiddes was elected a Member of The Institution on the 1st December, 1896.