James Arthur Reavell (10 June 1872—26 August 1973) M.I.Mech.E., M.I.Chem.E., F.Inst.F., F.I.M. was a British

chemical engineer A chemical engineer is a professional equipped with the knowledge of chemistry and other basic sciences who works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of Product (chemistry), products and deals with ...

, who created a major company and was one of the founders and a president of the

Institution of Chemical Engineers The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) is a global professional engineering institution with 30,000 members in 114 countries. It was founded in 1922 and awarded a Royal Charter in 1957. The Institution has offices in Rugby, Warwickshire, ...

Life

Reavell was born 10 June 1872 in

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, inland from the North Sea ...

, the son of George and Martha Reavell. He attended Alnwick Grammar School and

Silcoates School Silcoates School is a co-educational independent school in the village of Wrenthorpe near Wakefield, England. History The school was founded in 1820 as the Northern Congregational School at Silcoates House, for the board and education of the son ...

. He married Emma Mabel Clowes on 24 May 1898, and they had two sons, and one daughter. After her death, he married Winifred E. Haydon on 16 August 1941. One of his sons, Brian Noble Reavell, was also a chemical engineer, and took over as chairman when he retired from his business in 1960. He died 26 August 1973.

Career

He wanted to be a chemist, but instead served an apprenticeship in electrical engineering, and had several positions, rising to be manager for the European operations of an American chemical engineering company

Worthington Pumps The Worthington Corporation was a diversified American manufacturer that had its roots in Worthington and Baker, a steam pump manufacturer founded in 1845. In 1967 it merged with Studebaker and Wagner Electric to form Studebaker-Worthington. This ...

then manager of Manlove, Alliott & Co. Ltd., dealing with

sugar refining Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...

, of which a particular aspect is evaporation. In 1907 he set up his own company Kestner Evaporator and Engineering Co., to deal with the British and Empire market of an improved design of evaporator patented by his friend, French inventor Paul Kestner. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

his engineering expertise was applied to solving the shortage of explosives in a team headed by

Lord Moulton John Fletcher Moulton, Baron Moulton (18 November 1844 – 9 March 1921) was an English mathematician, barrister, judge and Liberal politician. He was a Cambridge Apostle. Early life Moulton was born in Madeley, Shropshire, England, as ...

. He continued as Chairman of Kestner until 1960, when he stepped down in favour of his son, Brian, but continued as president until 1963. The company made a variety of chemical plants with subsidiaries in Australia and South Africa.

Institutions

As Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Group of the

Society of Chemical Industry The Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) is a learned society set up in 1881 "to further the application of chemistry and related sciences for the public benefit". Offices The society's headquarters is in Belgrave Square, London. There are semi-in ...

(SCI) he was one of the small group of enthusiasts who founded the

, becoming its President 1929. He continued to be active in the SCI, being vice-president from 1931 to 1934. He was also a Member of the

Institution of Mechanical Engineers The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is an independent professional association and learned society headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that represents mechanical engineers and the engineering profession. With over 110,000 member ...

; a Fellow of Institute of Fuel; and a Fellow,

Institute of Metals The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) is a British engineering institution with activities including promotion of the development of materials science. It has been a registered charity governed by a royal charter and a member ...

; Chairman of the British Chemical Plant Manufacturers' Association; Chairman of the chemical engineering industry section of the

British Standards Institute The British Standards Institution (BSI) is the Standards organization, national standards body of the United Kingdom. BSI produces technical standards on a wide range of products and services and also supplies standards certification services ...

; and President of the Combustion Appliance Manufacturer's Association from which he formed the

British Coal Utilisation Research Association British Coal Utilisation Research Association (BCURA) was a non-profit association of industrial companies, incorporated 23 April 1938 and dissolved 24 February 2015. History It was founded in 1938, with an assured income of £25000 per year for ...

, and was its vice-president.

References

*{{cite book , author= , title=The Kestner Golden Jubilee Book , url= , location=London , publisher=The Kestner Evaporator & Engineering Co. Ltd. , page= , date=1958 , ref={{Harvid, Kestner Golden Jubilee Book (forward), year= 1958 British chemical engineers People from Alnwick Institution of Chemical Engineers 1872 births 1973 deaths