Oliver Robert Hawke Bury
Oliver Robert Hawke Bury (1861-1946), was an English railway engineer, chief mechanical engineer on the Great Western Railway of Brazil, General Manager of the Great Northern Railway in England and Director of the London and North Eastern Railway.
1861 November 3rd, Born in London
Bury, the son of a barrister, was educated at Westminster School. The first manager of the Great Northern Railway in 1847 had been his great uncle. In 1879 he was apprenticed to William Adams, locomotive engineer on the London and South Western Railway.
At Hunter and English of Bow, steam engine manufacturers from 1791 to 1921, he worked on the construction of both a floating crane and of a distillery in 1881. From there he joined the Coleford Railway in 1884 and became resident engineer of the Great Western Railway of Brazil under Ailsa Janson, becoming locomotive superintendent in 1885.
His appointment as Chief Engineer and Manager of the Great Western Railway of Brazil followed in 1892. Thereafter he joined the Entre Rios Railway in Argentina and went on to the Buenos Aires and Rosario Railway.
He returned to England in 1902 to become General Manager of the Great Northern Railway, joining the GNR Board in 1912.
1922 M.Inst.C.E., Director G.N. Rly., and Chairman Leopoldine's Rly. Co., since 1913; was Asst. to Chief Engr., afterwards Chief Engr. and Loco. Supt. G.W. Rly. of Brazil; Gen. Man. and Chief Engr. Entre Rios Rly. (Argentine), 1894; Gen. Man. Buenos Aires and Rosario Rly., 'goo; Gen. Man. G.N. Rly., 1902-12. Address: Roe Hill, Hathfield.
He was a Director of the London and North Eastern Railway until 1945. His business interests extended to South America.
He was married to Annie Eliza. His daughter, Sybil Maude Haigh Bury, married Harold Manston Ommanney, of Hatfield, Hertfordshire (1885-1964) in 1913 and divorced him in 1927. Mary Edith Haigh Bury was born in Belgrano on 3 February 1895.
1946 March 21st. Died.
1946 Obituary [1]