LATE SIR GEORGE SUTTON

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 2 May 1934, Page 4

LATE SIR GEORGE SUTTON

REMARKABLE. CAREER RECALLED BUILDER OF GREAT BUSINESS ORGANISATION i The fact that Sir George Sutton, Bart, whose death was announced by cable yesterday, was a brother of Mr W. Sutton, of Selwyn . Place, Nelson, gives added local interest to a very striking career. . . Sir George was born in London in 1856, was educated at a private bearding school in the country and entered commercial life in his fifteenth year. 110 kept up his education as an evening student at the City of London College, and in 1876 secured his first success in obtaining a first-class certificate from the Society of Arts. Just 46 years later the Royal’ Society of Arts put him upon its Council,

A WORLD-WIDE FIRAI

For a long period of years Sir George was the mainspring of that great commercial firm of world-wide fame, the W. T. Henley’s Telegraph Works Coy. He became manager, managing director, and chairman of the company and for many years held the dual position of chairman and managing, director. The company at that time was a small concern devoted exclusively to the telegraph work. Sir George devoted himself to the extension of its submarine cable business and contracts were made for the construction and laying of cables in the Atlantic Ocean, throughout the West Indies, the Guianas and other parts of the world. To-day the company ls one of the largest employers of labour in Kent and it lias become one of the chief cable firms in the world. At the time of the outbreak of war a new factory was erected for the construction of motor cars and during the war the output was taken over by the Government.

A PRESENTATION

At the 30th ordinary general meeting of the company in March, 1909, a presentation of great interest was made .to Sir George and a tribute paid to his work. The chairman Air Sidney Sedge, said he could say fully and freely from his knowledge and from his heart that he never saw anyone who, starting with necessarily limited knowledge of the company, went into the matter so thoroughly, with such talent, zeal and close persevering attention, so as to master every detail as did Sir George Sutton . .". in the management of the works he acquired a knowledge and developed a power of organisation and management which was unrivalled. He (the chairman) was in his 80th year and could say that never in his life had he seen anything like it anywhere else. The meeting then unanimously authorised the engagement of Sir Duke Fildes, R.A., to paint Sir George Sutton’s full length portrait.

FIFTY YEARS OF SERVICE

In 1931 another presentation was made to Sir George at the completion of fifty years with the company. It was stated oil that occasion that in the initial stages of Sir George’s work loans were made to the company far exceeding material security that could be offered, on the personal character of Sir George himself.. The editor of “The Henley Telegraph,” the magazine of the company said; “Air Henley had been a great man. He bad built up a wonderful business and had at one time been very wealthy. But a great engineer and inventor is seldom a -great financier. And so his fortunes declined. After the crash, the present company was.formed from the dregs. For years it struggled / for life, and nearly died many times., Perhaps it would have died if Air Henley had lived.- But he passed away in 1832, a year after Sir George had taken up his -almost heart-breaking duties. Then Sir George took a hand in shaping! the destiny of the company and no greater testimonial to his efficiency is necessary than the position of the company to-day.” Huge works are situated at Gravesend and North Woolwich and branches are situated in,the principal cities of the United Kingdom and overseas. Large research laboratories are situated at Gravesend,

A GREAT GIVER

During the war Sir George Sutton carried on a great work for Belgian refugees and for soldiers on leave. He lias also been a most liberal contributor to hospitals, his benefactions including new buildings, and the latest equipment. When Mr and Mrs William Sutton, of Nelson, visited England last year, Sir George was not- in the best of health and Mr Sutton said this morning when approached by a “Mail” reporter, the news of his brother’s death was not altogether unexpected.