William Rushworth Hanson
William Rushworth Hanson (1887-1935) of Charles Hanson and Son
1935 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM RUSHWORTH HANSON was born at Wakefield in 1887, and received his technical education at Halifax Technical College.
In 1904 he commenced a five years' apprenticeship in the works of Messrs. Woodhouse and Mitchell, Ltd., at Brighouse, Yorks, makers of stationary steam engines.
He then went to the United States in order to study American methods of production and took charge of a section of the fitting and erecting shops of the Providence Engineering Works, Rhode Island.
In 1912 he was appointed assistant engineer to the Colombo Commercial Company, Ceylon, and was employed on the design of steel and reinforced concrete structures, bridges, and aerial ropeways, and on the installation of gas and oil engines, and tea and rubber machinery, holding this position until 1917, when he came to England to enlist with the R.A.S.C. He later became commanding officer of the mechanical transport section for the North Russian Expeditionary Force at Archangel, and held the rank of captain. He was also appointed officer commanding the first Russian Automobile Division in Archangel.
In 1919 he returned to Ceylon, rejoining the Colombo Commercial Company, and was appointed manager of the engineering works at Badulla, in the province of Uva.
On the death in 1925 of his father, who, with his brother, had been managing the oil and chemical works of Messrs. Charles Hanson and Son, at Brighouse, Mr. Hanson returned to England and took charge of the works jointly with his brother; for the last five years of his life he took over the entire management.
His death occurred at Scarborough on 6th May 1935.
He was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1921.