James William Thomas Cadett
James William Thomas Cadett (c1853-1949) of Messrs. Cadett and Neale, Ltd.
1950 Obituary [1]
"JAMES WILLIAM THOMAS CADETT, whose death occurred at Guildford on 25th February 1949, at the great age of ninety-six, was a chemical engineer. In the course of his long career he had devoted much attention to problems connected with scientific photography with successful results. He was educated privately in this country and at the Lycee de Toulon, France. Later he continued his education at the City and Guilds College under Professors Ayrton and Perry.
After a second visit to France, where for some years he was engaged in the study of the chemistry of perfumery, he returned to England and began his investigations into scientific photography, in connection with which he had numerous inventions to his credit. They included the pneumatic system for photographic shutters; a multiple-carbon telephone transmitter; and a machine for coating glass with photographic emulsions.
In 1890 he started a dry plate manufacturing business and two years later became manager of Messrs. Mawson and Swan's factory at Newcastle upon Tyne. Subsequently he established the firm of Messrs. Cadett and Neall, Ltd., of which he continued to act as chairman and managing director until 1903 when the concern was absorbed by Messrs. Kodak, Ltd., who appointed him managing director and technical expert to this company. A year later he relinquished this position and retired from business. He continued, however, to interest himself in the development of further inventions, and more particularly in connection with automobile engineering. Mr. Cadett had been a Member of the Institution of Automobile Engineers since 1910. He was for many years a Member of Council of the Royal Photographic Society."