Stanley Faber Prest
Stanley Faber Prest (1858-1931), chairman of Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co and a director of C. A. Parsons and Co
1858 December. Born at Sherburn House, Durham, the second son of the Ven. Edward Prest, Archdeacon of Durham.
Educated at Durham School and Glasgow University.
Pupil Engineer at R. and W. Hawthorn. Spent some time at Armstrong’s Elswick Works. Became manager of Westray and Copeland, Barrow, where he remained for six years.
From 1905 to 1920 he was the Director of Eley Brothers, subsequently becoming a director of Nobel Industries Ltd.
He was closely associated with Charles Algernon Parsons from the beginning of the development of the Parsons steam turbine. He was a director of C. A. Parsons and Co, and in March 1931 he was elected Chairman of the Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Co.
He was a member of the Institution of Naval Architects, North East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders, and the Iron and Steel Institute.
He died on 11th March 1931 at Shalford Surrey, age 72.
1931 Obituary.[1]
It is with great regret that we record the death, on Saturday last, July 11th. at Shalford, Surrey, following an operation, of Mr. Stanley Faber Prest, chairman of Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company Ltd., and director of C. A. Parsons and Co., Ltd., and other companies.
It will be recalled that in March last Mr. Prest was unanimously elected the chairman of Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company, Ltd., to succeed the late Sir Charles A. Parsons.
Mr. Prest, who at the time of his death was 72 years of age, was born at Sherburn House, Durham, in December, 1858, and was the second son of the Venerable Edward Prest, D.D., Archdeacon of Durham.
He was educated at Durham School and at Glasgow University, and was subsequently a pupil engineer at the Newcastle works of R. and W. Hawthorn. Later, he spent some time at Armstrong's Elswick Works, and then went to Barrow-in-Furness as manager of the firm of Westray and Copeland, a position which he held for six years.
He then came to London, and from 1905 to 1920 was director and chairman of Eley Brothers, subsequently becoming a director of Nobel Industries Ltd.
He was associated with Sir Charles Parsons from the beginning of the development of the Parsons team turbine.
Mr. Prest was a member of the Institution of Naval Architects, the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders, and the Iron and Steel Institute. He was also recently elected to the Court of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. He was a member of the Athenaeun and St. Stephens Clubs, and was well known both in London and the North-East Coast, where he had many personal and business friends.
1931 Obituary[2]
"THE LATE MR. S. F. PREST.
We regret to record the death, which occurred on July 11 last, of Mr. Stanley Faber Prest. Mr. Prest, who passed away at his home, Chinthurst, Shalford. Guildford, Surrey, following an operation, was chairman of Messrs. Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company, Limited, and of Messrs. C. A. Parsons and Company, Limited, and a director of a number of other firms. The second son of the late Venerable Edward Prest, D.D., Archdeacon of Durham, Mr. S. F. Prest was born at Sherburn House, Durham, on December 29, 1858. He received his general education at Durham School, and subsequently attended Glasgow University for a period of twelve months. In 1874 he entered upon a pupilage of five years at the works of Messrs. R. and W. Hawthorn and Company, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and in 1881, secured a position in the drawing office of Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong and Company, Elswick. Two years later Mr. Prest was appointed manager of Messrs. Westray, Copeland and Company, marine engineers, Barrow-in-Furness, which position he retained for eight years. He afterwards came to London and opened a consulting practice. He continued in practice as a consulting engineer until the end, his office being at Denison House, 296, Vauxhall Bridge-road, London, S.W.l. In 1891 he became managing director of Messrs. The Slag Reduction Company, Limited, and for some years prior to his death had acted as chairman of that company.
Mr. Prest’s long association with the late Sir Charles A. Parsons began in 1899, and in 1903 he took over the management of the department controlling the, issue of licences to engineering firms for the manufacture of the Parsons marine steam turbine. Subsequently, he took over the same duties in connection with Messrs. C. A. Parsons and Company, Limited. Mr. Prest was for many years a director of Messrs. Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company, Limited, and of Messrs. C. A. Parsons and Company, Limited, and soon after the death of Sir Charles A. Parsons, on February 11 last, he was appointed to succeed him as chairman of these two companies. He continued to occupy these positions until his death. Air. Prest was also for a long period, chairman of Messrs. Parsons Foreign Patents Company, Limited, and of Messrs. Spanish Parsons Marine Turbine Company, Limited. He served as director and chairman of Messrs. Eley Brothers, Limited, for a period of fifteen years, from 1905 to 1920. This firm, it will be remembered, was merged into Messrs. Nobel Industries, Limited, in 1918, and Mr. Prest joined the board of the larger concern. In 1926, some six years after Mr. Prest’s resignation from the board, practically all the share capital of Messrs. Nobel Industries, Limited, was acquired by Messrs. Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited. Mr. Prest became a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1903, and of the Institution of Naval Architects in 1906. He was elected a member of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in April, 1913."