Percy Burnett Hall (c.1877-1957).
1958 Obituary.
Percy Burnett Hall, who was the son of the Rev. Enoch Hall, died on the 12th December 1957. He was educated at Flood's Academy, Belfast, and Manchester Technical College, receiving his early practical training with Clarke, Chapman and Co. and the Sunderland Forge and Engineering Co.
In 1897 he joined the Adelphi Works of the General Electric Co., when Mr. Eckstein was Manager, as a switchgear designer, and later he became Assistant Manager of the Switchgear Department.
In 1905, when Mr. Eckstein and Mr. A. C. Heap formed Eckstein, Heap and Co., Percy Hall joined them, and from 1905 to 1913 he was Manager of the Accessories Department in Manchester. When Eckstein Heap was made a private limited company, he was appointed a Director and Sales Manager. A few years later he became Assistant Managing Director, which position he held until he resigned in 1933 to set up in business in Manchester as an agent for Elliott Brothers, the Artic Fuse Co. and Newton Brothers. He finally retired at the end of 1956, the business being carried on by his younger son.
He was a great family man, his whole life being wrapped up in his wife, two sons and a daughter. He followed his father's instincts in active church work and for some years played the organ. During the First World War he was active at night in the Kersal area as a special constable for the Salford police. The usual hobbies of golf, football, tennis, etc., had no interest for him, but when he started motoring he found great pleasure in driving and was, in fact, driving his car up to the week of his death. For a few years after the war he used to charter a large motor-cruiser and have two weeks away from all worries on the Norfolk Broads.
His death at the age of 80 saw the passing of one who took a very active part in the commercial development of electrical engineering in the Manchester area, particularly in the period between the two wars.
Mr. Hall joined The Institution as an Associate in 1902 and was elected an Associate Member in 1907 and a Member in 1927.