Harold John Allcock
Harold John Allcock (1897-1947)
1949 Obituary [1]
"HAROLD JOHN ALLCOCK, M.Sc., was associated with the electrical side of mechanical engineering throughout his professional career and at the time of his death, which occurred in London on 24th October 1947, was holding the position of deputy production director of British Insulated Callender's Cables, Ltd.
He was born in 1897, and after receiving his general education at Taunton School began in 1913 an apprenticeship at the Tyne Engine and Ship Repairing Yards, Barry Dock. In the following year, however, he enlisted in the ranks of the Royal Engineers, was later commissioned in the infantry, and ultimately transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals. After his demobilization in 1919 he completed his education at the University of Wales, graduating B.Sc. in 1921 and obtaining the degree of M.Sc. in 1932. On the conclusion of a further two years' practical training with the Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company, Ltd., he was appointed liaison engineer for that company at the Westinghouse Company's works in the United States and later, for a brief period, acted as estimating and sales engineer for the former company at Manchester.
In 1927 Mr. Allcock began his long connection with Messrs. Callender's Cable and Construction Company with the post of technical assistant in the London office. Four years later he was appointed chief of the works research and technical departments with responsibility to the chief engineer for the technical control of the firm's factories. In the early part of the 1939-45 war he organized the technical side of the cable industry to meet the Government's requirements and was the first chairman of the Cable makers (War Emergency) Technical Committee.
In 1942 he was attached to the Ministry of Aircraft Production as director-general of communications equipment, but was obliged to relinquish that appointment a year later on account of ill health. He returned to Callender's Cable and Construction Company in 1944 to become controller of the northern factories and on the amalgamation of that firm with British Insulated Cables, Ltd., received his final appointment. Mr. Allcock was elected a Graduate of the Institution in 1921, was transferred to Associate Member ship in 1925, and to Membership in 1938. He was also a Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. He was the author of a book entitled "The Nomogram"."
1947 Obituary [2]