William John Willis
William John Willis (1876-1943)
1944 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM JOHN WILLIS whose death occurred on 29th October 1943, was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1925. He was born in 1876 and served his apprenticeship in the blast furnace department of the Barrow Hematite Steel Company from 1890 to 1898.
After six years' employment with the Yorkshire Iron and Coal Company, Leeds, as assistant works manager, he became works manager to the Clay Cross Coal and Iron Company, of Chesterfield. In 1908, on the completion of a brief engagement as manager to Messrs. Birchills Furnaces, Ltd., of Walsall, he accepted a similar appointment with the Willingsworth Iron Company, of Wednesbury, a position which he held for nine years.
In 1917 he transferred his services as manager to the Carnforth Hematite Iron Company, but three years later he began to practice as a consulting engineer and continued in that work for the last twenty-three years of his life. During this period he acted for some years as chief engineer and valuer to Messrs. Faraday and Partners, of London, in which capacity he was responsible for the valuation of all kinds of iron and steel works and the preparation of reports thereon. In addition he was employed as valuer to the County of Westmorland and the East Riding of Yorkshire.