Henry Cecil Bailey Sainsbury
Henry Cecil Bailey Sainsbury (1873-1933), managing director of Stothert and Pitt
1933 Obituary [1]
HENRY CECIL BAILEY SAINSBURY was for many years managing director of Messrs. Stothert and Pitt of Bath.
He was born at Bradford on Avon, Wilts, and was educated privately and at the Taira Royal Academy.
In 1889 he joined the Continental Lead and Iron Company, of Spezia, Italy, and worked in their shipyard for two years, after which he returned to England and became a pupil at the works of Messrs. Stothert and Pitt, remaining with that firm for the rest of his life.
In 1894 he entered the drawing office and a year later was appointed personal assistant to the late Sir Percy Stothert.
Among his early responsibilities was the supervision of the erection of block-setting Titan cranes at Gibraltar in 1898.
In 1904 he was appointed assistant general manager and in 1910 he became a director, finally being appointed managing director. In that capacity he travelled extensively in the interests of the firm throughout Europe, America, and South Africa.
Mr. Sainsbury was elected a Member of the Institution in 1908.
His death occurred on 2nd September 1933.
1933 Obituary[2]
"THE LATE MR. CECIL SAINSBURY.
We note with regret the death of Mr. Henry Cecil Bayley Sainsbury, which occurred on September 2, after an illness of several months. Mr. Sainsbury had been connected with Messrs. Stothert and Pitt, Limited, Newark Works, Bath, for nearly forty-three years, and was for long joint managing director. He was born at Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, on February 19, 1873, and after receiving his general education, partly by private tuition and partly at the Tain Royal Academy, he became an apprentice in the shipyard of the Continental Lead and Iron Co, Spezia, Italy, in 1889. Two years later he entered the firm of Messrs. Stothert and Pitt, Bath, as a premium pupil, thus commencing the association with that firm, which was destined to last all his life. Upon completing his apprenticeship in 1894, he served a year in the drawing office, and, in 1895, was appointed personal assistant to the late Sir Percy Stothert. The succeeding five years were occupied in superintending the management of the works and in laying out and erecting new shops and machine tools. During a portion of this time he was also in charge of the erection of harbour plant at Gibraltar Dockyard, comprising two 40-ton steam titan cranes, and a 30-ton steam crane.
In 1900, Mr. Sainsbury became assistant to the two managing directors of his firm, and, four years later, was appointed assistant general manager, having charge of all manufacturing departments and reporting directly to the Chairman, Mr. Pitt, and the board of directors. Subsequently, Mr. Sainsbury and Mr. E. S. Franklin were appointed joint managing directors. In May, 1933, Mr. Franklin was made vice-chairman of the Company, and he and Mr. Sainsbury voluntarily resigned their positions as managing directors. They retained their seats on the board, however, and continued to serve the firm as executive directors, while Mr. Robert Pitt became sole managing director of the company. Mr. Sainsbury became a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1908. He was a member of the Regional Committee of the Engineering and Allied Employers’ Federation, and also president for many years of the Engineering and Allied Employers’ West of England Association branch."