William Ernest Poole
William Ernest Poole (1882-1945)
1945 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM ERNEST POOLE, who died on the 6th April, 1945, was born in Lancaster on 9th April, 1882. He was educated at Lancaster Grammar School and at the Harris Institute, Preston, his professional training and early experience being gained with the Newcastle Electric Supply Company and at Armstrong College (now King's College), Newcastle-on-Tyne. From 1903 to 1905 he was engaged on the electrification of the North Eastern Railway, Tynemouth Branches, and later he became Resident Engineer and Manager of the Hexham Electric Supply Company. In 1908 he joined the Tudor Accumulator Company, which engagement continued until 1916, when he became Chief Electrical Engineer to the National Amatol Filling Factory, near Leeds, where he remained until the end of the War of 1914-18. After a short period with Bristol Corporation, he joined Siemens Brothers in 1919 and remained in the service of that company until his death. His activities for Siemens were almost entirely concerned with the design and erection of overhead transmission lines, a subject on which he became an expert. He erected many important lines in this country and also in India and Ceylon.
In addition to his professional activities he took a keen interest in all branches of human endeavour, especially in the practice and encouragement of craftsmanship, with full appreciation of its artistic aspects. One of his principal hobbies was numismatics, and he was a member of the Council of the Royal Numismatic Society. In all that he did he exhibited a marked capacity for leadership and a characteristic flair for thoroughness.
He joined The Institution as an Associate Member in 1909 and was elected a Member in 1926.