Dennis Reginald Spiers
Dennis Reginald Spiers (c1902-1934)
1934 Obituary [1]
DENNIS REGINALD SPIERS had been connected with Messrs. Accles and Shelvoke, Aston, Birmingham, since 1927, when he became technical assistant to the managing director and took charge of the drawing office, with responsibility for the design of jigs and tools for machinery for special purposes. Early in 1932 he was appointed technical adviser and designer to the firm, which manufactured special machinery for separating plants, button making, etc., as well as semi-automatic horizontal drilling and turning machinery. In addition Mr. Spiers was responsible for the methods of manufacture of the firm's special products, such as engine and rudder controls for aeroplanes.
He was born in Birmingham, and received his technical education at the Central Technical College. In 1918 he became an apprentice in the works of the Birmingham Small Arms Company, and served in the shops and drawing office until 1923, when he obtained a scholarship, awarded by the firm, enabling him to take a course in advanced mechanical engineering at the Central Technical College. He returned to the firm's drawing office in the following year and was engaged on the design of jigs and tools, and gained experience in the "Shadowgraph" method of checking the construction of cutters. In addition he was concerned with the design of centreless grinding machines. For more than a year he was visiting representative of the firm, dealing with questions of design and materials.
Mr. Spiers's death occurred in Birmingham on 28th August 1934, at the early age of 32.
He was elected a Student of the Institution in 1922, and was transferred to Graduateship in 1931 and to Associate Membership in 1933.