Gilbert Varley
Gilbert Varley (1891-1965), Works Director of Platt Brothers
1954 Bio Note [1]
1965 Obituary [2]
Mr Gilbert Varley, MSc, MICE, AMIEE (Member), a former Vice-President of the Institution died suddenly at his home in Huddersfield in August.
Born in 1891 Mr Varley graduated with first class honours from the University of Leeds in 1910 and was apprenticed to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Horwich works.
His subsequent career was mainly in heavy industry, he was Chief Works Engineer at Cammell Lairds for nine years.
In 1947 Mr Varley joined Dodd Investments Ltd as Chief Engineer and Engineering Consultant after spending 12 years with Platt Bros of Oldham, the last four years as Works Director.
His work for the Institution brought him into contact with many members. For 14 years he was the Chairman of the Membership Committee and during this time he worked untiringly on its behalf, visiting firms and interviewing candidates with the utmost impartiality. In later years he continued to advise and help prospective members with his usual unfailing courtesy. Mr Varley was also a Vice-President of the Engineers' Guild and at one time he represented the Institution on the Professional Engineers' Appointments Board. He was also Chairman of the BSI Code on Machinery Guarding committee.
Kindly and generous, but firm in his convictions, Mr Varley was a true friend of this Institution. He will be greatly missed by many members and also by the senior staff at headquarters with whom he worked so closely for so long.