Alfred Perry (1834-1892)
1892 Obituary [1]
ALFRED PERRY was born at Taunton on 3rd. June 1834.
In early life he was engaged in the engineering works and drawing offices of Messrs. Ashbury, and Messrs. Ormerod, Grierson and Co., Manchester, and of the Birmingham Wagon Works, Smethwick.
About 1861 he entered the service of Messrs. Chance Brothers and Co., and became the head of the drawing office in their Lighthouse Works, Smethwick, where up to the date of his last illness he assisted in the design and execution of the mechanical portions of dioptric apparatus and of iron towers, in association successively with Mr. James Chance, Dr. John Hopkinson, and Mr. J. Kenward.
He was untiring in perfecting whatever he undertook; and his long experience in lighthouse construction has been of considerable service to lighthouse authorities in many parts of the world.
His death took place at Smethwick from heart disease, after two months' illness, on 12th December 1892, in the fifty-ninth year of his age.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1882, and was also an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
1893 Obituary [2]
ALFRED PERRY, who was born at Taunton in 1834, gained his first professional experience in the office of the late J. S. Cockings of Birmingham, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
After spending four years there he was engaged for twelve months as a draughtsman in the iron building and roofing works of J. H. Porter at Birmingham.
He was then employed in a similar capacity from 1857 to 1861 at the Ashbury Railway Carriage and Wagon Works, Manchester, and subsequently for twelve months by Chance Brothers and Co, the lighthouse engineers of Birmingham.
From 1862 to 1864 he was an assistant in the works of Ormerod, Grierson and Co, of Manchester, and was then for three years assistant manager to the Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Co
In 1867 Mr. Perry re-entered the service of Chance Brothers and Co, with whom he remained until his death. He became chief of the drawing office, and during his long connection with the firm assisted in the design and execution of dioptric apparatus and of iron lighthouse towers, more particularly as to the mechanical details. In this work he was associated successively with J. T. Chance, Dr. John Hopkinson and James Kenward, and his great natural ability and long experience were of considerable service to lighthouse authorities in all parts of the world.
Mr. Perry died from heart disease on the 12th of December, 1892, after an illness of two months. An accomplished draughtsman and good mechanic, he was untiring in his efforts to bring to perfection whatever he undertook, and was faithful and loyal to the employers he served for so many years.
Mr. Perry was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 4th of December, 1877, and was transferred to the class of Associate Member on its creation in the following year.