James H. R. Kemnal
Sir James H. R. Kemnal aka James Rosenthal ( -1927), managing director of Babcock and Wilcox
1927 Obituary [1]
SIR JAMES H. R. KEMNAL, well known throughout the world as managing director of Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox, Ltd., died somewhat suddenly on the 8th February, 1927, in his sixty-third year.
Originally known as Mr. James Rosenthal, he was born in London, of British parents, his father being Mr. James Rosenthal, a naturalized British subject, and his mother of Scottish descent.
He was first educated in London, and later proceeded to Cologne University, afterwards entering the works of the Belgian State Railways as an apprentice.
On completing his apprenticeship he joined the engineering staff of the Anderson Foundry Co., Ltd., and whilst there became acquainted, in 1881, with Mr. Charles A. Knight, who was then establishing a British branch of the Babcock and Wilcox Co. of New York, U.S.A., of which branch Mr. Rosenthal was appointed manager in 1883. The rapid progress made, and the amount of business transacted, were such as to justify the formation in 1891 of a separate British company of which he became managing director, conjointly with Mr. Knight.
Works were established at Renfrew and employment was found for some 130 men.
In 1900 the company was reconstructed, with increased capital, under the title of Babcock and Wilcox, Ltd., with Mr. Rosenthal as managing director.
In 1915 he assumed the name of Kemnal.
Throughout the War his personal energies and the manufacturing resources of the company were practically devoted to meeting national needs, and in 1920 he received the honour of knighthood for the services which he, and the company, had rendered. He also served as president of the British and Latin American Chamber of Commerce, and in all these capacities displayed a master mind and was successful in securing the most loyal and active assistance of all associated with him in his various activities.
In addition to being a member of various technical institutions, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society, Edinburgh, a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, a Freeman of the City of London, a Justice of the Peace for the City of Glasgow, and, had he lived, the LL.D. Degree would have been bestowed upon him by the Glasgow University. During the past 40 years he was most closely identified with the development of steam-generating plant for electric power stations, the Navy, and the Mercantile Marine, and he contributed valuable papers to several of the Institutions and the first World Power Conference.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1888, and a Member in 1908.