Edmund Sykes Hett was the father of The GSSR in spite of never having been a director of the company. As the only bidder for the Granada - Murcia railway on 26th November 1884, he won the rights to the concession and was instrumental in the creation of The GSSR by investing his own money - the sum of 601,000 pesetas for the auction (about 3 million pounds in today's money) and then raising investment in The United Kingdom. Thus, on 15th December 1885 The GSSR was born. However, there is something interesting here as no capital was publicly issued until June, 1887. So, did he wait for nearly three years for the return of his investment? Did he charge The GSSR interest?
He had already created the company 'Hett, Maylor and Company Ltd.' on 4th February 1885 with his friend and relative by marriage John Maylor. So, on 27th September 1887 Hett, Maylor and Company signed a contract with The GSSR to build the line.
As explained in History, Hett, Maylor & Company Ltd sub-contracted much of the work to other builders such as George Loring who was the The Marquis of Loring and who caused many problems.
There doesn't seem to be any records or photographs of Edmund being in the area whilst The GSSR was being constructed so maybe he never saw his railway finished.
The photograph on the right is of the Hett and Yarrow families together in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1862. Hover over a face for information.
Edmund Sykes Hett was born in Bawtry, Yorkshire on the 21st March 1832 (see 1854 map of Bawtry), to James Keir Hett and Maria Hett (née Townend) being one of nine children who included Henry Herbert and Edward Keir. He was named after his maternal aunt's husband, Edmund Sykes, as the couple had no children. The name of 'Edmund' appears in more than one Sykes pedigree, no doubt in memory of Edmund Sykes of Leeds, the Catholic martyr priest executed at York in 1587.
He left the UK in 1850 to find his fortunes in Brazil where he was involved with the set up of the company 'Wilson, Scott & Hett' at the tender age of 18, which was very profitable. A branch of this company built the first dry dock in Rio de Janeiro. He was described as being 'opulent' and at the age of 49 in 1881 had retired to become a promotor of railways and was in Spain in 1885 when on 22nd March the Railway Gazette reported that he had applied for the Granada - Murcia - Águilas concession. He probably rued this decision later.
He married Julia Claudine Yarrow (25th September 1831 - 18th August 1903) on the 19th October 1857 in Río de Janeiro which linked the Hetts and the Yarrows. This act also linked the Hetts with the Maylors as Julia's sister Emily Cornelia Yarrow had previously married John on the 21st September 1854, also in Río de Janeiro.
Whilst in Brazil, he had a serious accident when a heavy piece of timber fell on him as he was helping put out a fire at John Maylor's shipyard where they were building a yacht for the Emperor of Brazil. He felt the effects for the rest of his life and to take up the Spanish project suggests he was a highly motivated man as by this time presumably he had made his money and could have spent the rest of his life relaxing.
The census of 1871 lists him as living in Leighton Cottage, Leighton with his wife Julia, 39; children Emily, 12; Edith, 9; Edmund, 6; and Charles, 4; Brother Henry Herbert (merchant), 20; and the servants Louisa Burley (governess), 24; Camillo de Conceiçàs (Butler), 30; Esther Power (housemaid), 34; Elizabeth Nownaw (nurse), 19; and Baz Craig (cook), 45. This was when Edmund was 39 years old. By then he had retired from his businesses in Brazil, returning to the UK in 1865, so he was probably looking for something else to do after living in a pleasant climate running a company and now finding himself in the cold, wet Pennines. In fact, he became involved with The Bilbao Iron Ore Company Ltd in the same year (1871) and the The Bilbao River and Cantabrian Railway Company Ltd. See also Finance.
Edmund was also a director of The Bahia Steam Navigation Company Ltd.
In the census of 1881 Julia and he were still living in Leighton, still with all of their children but with a change of staff, those being: Margarett H Williams, 22 (cook); Sarah Williams, 24 (housemaid); Isabel J Murray, 30 (housemaid) and Camilla J D Lilia, 38 (butler). We do know that Edmund was in Spain around 1885 to be able to place a deposit for the concession of The GSSR, but documentation is sparse, to say the least.
Edmund died on 15th March 1901 at the age of 68 - one month after George Loring.
Many thanks to Julia Hett for all of her help and the family photograph.
Gustave Gillman takes second place in this list as he was certainly the most important person in the fortunes of The GSSR. He started as the station manager at Águilas Station in 1897 but through his tireless works became involved in the mining areas of Las Menas, encouraging investment in the area. To this end, he saved The GSSR from bankruptcy thus allowing the line to run up until 1984. For his pains, after 14 years of devotion, he was promoted to Director in 1911.
However, what he has left us is a treasure of photography that is an historical record of the times.
He was born in England on 15th June, 1856 and died on 28th February 1922 at the age of 66 in Petrópolis, Brazil. There are a number of houses remaining in Águilas that were his abodes over his time there.
George Henry, 1st Marqués de Casa Loring, Vizconde de la Caridad, was born on 22nd August 1822 in Málaga Spain, to George James Loring (18/11/1771, Hingham, Massachusetts, USA) and María del Rosario Loring née Oyarzábal Herrera (12/10/1799, in Málaga). George and Amalia, Marquesa de Casa Loring, née Herédia Livermore (3/3/1830 - 16/10/1902), married in Málaga in 1850. They had nine children. George died on 11th February 1901, approximately eighteen months before Amalia.
George and Amalia were very interested in the arts and sciences, nature and archaeology. They created the famous Botanical Gardens in Málaga. He was also a successful railway engineer and businessman, trading in coal, marble, mining and esparto. He was responsible for the construction of a large part of The GSSR (Lorca - Zurgena) and it is unfortunate that the business arrangements became acrimonious due to Hett, Maylor's insolvency. George had many contacts in Spanish law, government and the courts and didn't take kindly to The GSSR being unable to pay him for works completed. In the end, he resorted to strong-arm tactics - see the report in El Boletín and used workmen to block the line between Huércal-Overa and Zurgena. This was a very serious problem for The GSSR. At this time the section between Almendricos and Zurgena was finished but because of Loring's blocks the GSSR couldn't open it and therefore not receive the government grant which was paid by section.
Eventually, the problems were resolved in a meeting in London between Loring and the board of The GSSR.
He was also a shareholder in The Esparto Trading Company as he had interests in trading esparto, an exporter of marble, ore and coal. In addition, he was a director of The Bank of Málaga when it was absorbed into The Bank of Spain, and founded 'The Friends of the Country Economic Society' and 'The Provincial Hospital'.
Anthony John Mundella (28 March 1825 - 21 July 1897) was an industrialist, scientist, inventor and liberal politician. He was Chairman of The GSSR in the early days of the company from 1889 to 1890 and involved during the construction period of the line. On his death at the age of 72 he was, by today's standards, a millionaire. He is buried in Nottingham.
A full obituary can be seen here.
George Lee Boag was born on 11 July 1873 at 48 Bath Street, Hulme, Manchester, the eldest child of Ernest Gerald Boag, interestingly a railway clerk, and his wife Sarah. His younger siblings were Ernest and Geraldine. See also Faydon. These were humble beginnings and Bath Street has now been redeveloped and the house no longer exists. In 1881, at the age of seven he was residing at 7 Berlin Street, Chorlton on Medlock. George had to leave school and start work to support his family as his father died in 1885. George worked for The GSSR from 5th August 1907, firstly as deputy General Manager under Gustave Gillman, then from 1911, Ambrose P.S. Jones and then on the 9th February 1913 as General Manager. His time under Gustave Gillman must have been very informative for him as he followed on from Gustave's photographic activities. Presiding over The GSSR during very trying times, he worked very hard to maintain the workings of the company. He was hugely respected by his staff and worked hard for their benefit. A keen sportsman, he initiated football and tennis in Águilas. His humanity shines through in a letter he sent to his employees:
"Unfortunately, the urgent needs that I have described will affect many long-serving employees. I suffer to realize the hardships that this will bring to people who I have known for years and know as friends rather than employees. I would have wished that I did not have to come here, but you will understand that I am only doing my duty and cannot run from this hard task."
On 25th May 1927 the catastrophe at Pulpí occurred. George was one of the first on the scene and helped the injured and dying. This event changed the dynamic in Águilas and the surrounding area and must have been a terrible time for George who had put so much into integrating with the locals and in helping them when they needed assistance, even supplying GSSR machinery when needed. No doubt he felt personally responsible as the General Manager.
While still General Manager he developed Parkinson's Disease which, at the time had no pharmaceutical treatment except anticholinergics (ironically, levodopa was first synthesized in 1911 but not used as treatment for this debilitating disease until 1967). As a result, in 1931 he spent some time in hospital in Southport, possibly having brain surgery which was the only treatment at the time. Something must have happened to ameliorate the disease as in the same year he married Eleanor Shaw (18th February 1896 - 14th February 1977), a nurse 22 years younger than he and they travelled to Spain to live in his house by the sea in Águilas and for him to continue as General Manager.
He retired in June 1936, just in time to avoid the trials and tribulations of The Spanish Civil War.
After this they moved to Southport for a short period, then in 1939 they were to be found at 28 Hunters Grove, Kenton, Harrow, and then later at 23 Hillside Road, Southport. The house was presumably new when they moved in (as was the house in Águilas) as it is of the style built in the 1930s. He died on 22nd October 1947 leaving an estate of £3,706 12s 1d being the equivalent of approximately £156,500 today. Eleanor passed away in 1977.
The photograph on the left, taken in 1925 on the steps of his house was after he had been awarded a medal of merit by Águilas Town Hall for services to the community and for his humanity. The label was pinned onto his lapel by his 17 year old niece Mary (on his right) who was staying with him for a year. On her right is the Mayor of Águilas.
For more information, see the excellent website by Don Gaunt.
William Reierson Arbuthnot Junior William Reierson Arbuthnot Junior was one of the first directors of The GSSR from 1887 and served until 1910, when he resigned. He died on the 23rd June 1938. |
Hanbury BarclayColonel Hanbury Barclay was a director of The GSSR for one year in 1887. Born 1st June 1836, died 4th March 1908. |
W Goodwin BarnesW Goodwin Barnes was one of the first seven directors of The GSSR in its inception in 1885. Like the others apart from Davies, he only stayed one year. He was the father-in-law of Alfred Fernandez Yarrow. Barnes, Leighton & Co., St. Helens |
Adolf Baron von AndréAdolf, Baron von André was a trustee of The GSSR in 1890 along with Anthony John Mundella and William Reierson Arbuthnot Junior. He was a baron and self-made-man, mainly through business in Hong Kong, whereby he was the Chairman of The Hong Kong Bank. He created a business with William Mendel called André & Mendel & Co., which funded large stores such as Harrods, Dickins & Jones and D H Evans. |
Frederick Cadogan BarronFrederick Cadogan Barron was appointed Resident Engineer of The Bilbao Iron Ore Company in 1871 where he worked until 1880. He died in his home Nervion, Shortlands, now in south west London. See also: ICE. |
Luis Benítez de la CámaraLuis Benítez de la Cámara was a lawyer from Lorca as well as an agent for the Bank of Cartagena. He was responsible for managing the financing of the section between Águilas and Almendricos as well as payments from The GSSR and HM. |
Henry BorrelHenry Borrel was The GSSR Company Representative at Calle Cervantes 44, Madrid between 1894 and 1913. His duties were liaison with the Spanish Government and he was heavily involved in the early years during construction negotiating with the authorities. Not an enviable job. |
Percival Fowler BroadbentPercival Fowler Broadbent (born 27th December 1856) was the engineering director of The Reyna Mining Company Ltd along with two others on the peninsula from 1880 to 1885. After this he became a consulting mining engineer and was also, in 1888, proposed as a member of The Institute of Engineers. Royal School of Mines. Hathorn Davey. |
Sydney Olgivie BrowneSydney O. Browne was The Manager of Material and Traction for The GSSR from the 9th October 1907. |
George BulmerGeorge was responsible, along with Jean Louis Lecoq Smith and Napier, for the construction and mounting of the bridges on the line. |
Francisco CarrascoPlease see Alejandro Marín García. |
Demetrio CastroDemetrio was the engineer responsible for the construction of the section of line between Almendricos and Arboleas (Almendricos, Las Norias, Huércal-Overa, Almajalejo, Zurgena and Arboleas). |
P.W. ChurchillOn the 15th September 1913 Mr P. Churchill took up the post of Resident Engineer for the Company Board. There is a record of a P.W. Churchill in a British Army admissions and discharges book being admitted on the 25th July 1918 for influenza, so presumably he left to fight in the Great War. In addition, there is a newspaper item describing the death of a P. Winston Churchill who was from York and worked as a railway engineer in Algeciras. He died of 'congestion of the brain' (probably a stroke) which was reported in The Daily Mail on the 24th July 1934, at the age of 62 which would give his year of birth as 1872. |
Juan de la CiervaJuan de la Cierva was the Murcian lawyer who saved The GSSR (along with many others) by outmaneuvring The Marquis of Casa-Loring. It is possible that he was the father of Juan de la Cierva y Cordoníu, the famous Spanish aviator who invented the autogyro. |
Pelayo Clairac SáenzPelayo (1819 - 1891) was the engineering director for the line between Lorca and Alcantarilla which became the property of The GSSR after its transfer from Sociedad de Ferrocarril de Alcantarilla a Lorca in 1891. |
Charles (Carlos) ClementsonCharles Clementson was made the Spanish representative of The GSSR on 25th May 1889. In June of 1889, he was looking at the possibility of a line from Almajalejo station to Garrucha which would surely have taken in Cuevas de Almenzora as a station. Needless to say, this line was never built. |
David DaviesDavid Davies (18th December 1818 - 20th July 1890) was one of the original directors of The GSSR from inception of the company in 1885 until 1887. See History. He was deputy chairman of the Barry Dock and Railway Company and co-director along with Edmund Sykes Hett of the Ocean Coal Company Ltd. His address was given as Llandinam, Montgomeryshire. To have been a director of The GSSR he would have had to have had at least 100 £10 shares but by 1888 it appears that he had sold them and had withdrawn from the directorate of the company - see Finance. It seems that he got out just in time! Certainly, he would have been advised by Edmund, who was conversant with all that was going on at that time. Having said that, he was 69, dying two years later, so maybe he wanted to retire from the world of business and enjoy the rest of his life in Broneirion, which he had had built in 1864-5. |
James FergussonThe Right Honorable Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet, M.P., G.C.S.L., K.C.M.G. (14th March 1832 - 14th January 1907) was the Chairman of The Board of Directors of The GSSR in 1886. At that time he lived at 24, Grosvenor Gardens, London. See also here. |
Luis Figuera y SilvelaLuis Figuera y Silvela was an engineer and the representative of the 'Compañía de Águilas' which was a French company heavily involved with mining in the Águilas area as well as the owner of Águilas Port. He was instrumental in developing the port in 1884 to the extent that it could be used for the loading and unloading of ships. |
Edmund Batten ForbesEdmund Batten Forbes was a director of The GSSR between 1910 and 1924 (when he died on 17th February 1924). He was born on 25th December 1847 in Edinburgh, the son of Professor James David Forbes and
Alicia Wauchope. Unlike some of the directors, he actually visited The GSSR. On the 12th October 1909 he visited The GSSR staying until the 21st December to advise on the terrible problem with water quality as he was an expert on the subject having resolved problems in Chile, Mexico and other places. |
Cayetano GálvezCayetano was the harbourmaster at Águilas port and was therefore responsible for the unloading of the steamships. This was a huge task as well as being essential to The GSSR as practically everything needed for the construction of the railway, from track and sleepers to bridges and rolling stock, came through the tiny port. |
John Robert GillmanJohn Robert Gillman (Jack), the son of Gustave Gillman, born 26th February 1883, was the last General Manager for The GSSR, in 1936. It was his bad luck that this was during the Spanish Civil War, so that on the 5th September 1936 the 'Railway Worker's Council' assumed control of The GSSR. The poor chap was arrested and sentenced to death by the Republicans, The GSSR being in a Republican stronghold almost until the end of the war. The following is reproduced with the kind permission of my friend Don Gaunt: |
J. HaighMr Haigh was Company Secretary from 1947 until the end in 1951. |
Thomas HarrisonMr Harrison was a chairman of The GSSR from 1907 until 1923 when he must have become indisposed, however, he continued as a director until 1926; and of The Hornillo Company from 1902 until it merged with The GSSR in 1913. He died in 1926.
Bilbao Iron Ore Company 1876 |
Enrique Helguero de BertodanoEnrique Helguero Bertodano was the representative of the Compañía del Puerto de Águilas. Originally there was an arrangement for The GSSR to use the line from Águilas station to the port for the loading of the steamers but, due to its high prices, the construction of El Hornillo took place, thus removing much of the port's profits. |
Maj. Ronald Henry White HendersonMajor Henderson (1 December 1893 - 12 February 1956) was a director of The GSSR from 1926 until 1945. He fought in the First World War in 1st Royal Dragoons where, on the 25th February 1914 he was made 2nd Lieutenant. |
Captain Hon Arnold HendersonCapt Hon Henderson (1 Jul 1883 - 12 Mar 1933) was a director of The GSSR between 1926 and 1933 and acted as a fund trustee as well. |
Sir Brodie Haldane HendersonSir Brodie Haldane Henderson KCMG, CB, Brigadier General 1919; Sheriff of Hertfordshire 1925 (6th March 1869 - 28th September 1936) was the senior partner with James Livesey of Livesey, Henderson & Co Ltd and so was probably involved with the re-design of El Hornillo. |
Edward Keir HettEdward Keir Hett (born 1845) was one of the first seven directors of The GSSR from its inception in 1885 until 1887. He was the youngest brother of Edmund Sykes Hett as well as Henry Herbert and six other siblings. His parents were James Keir Hett and Maria Hett (born Townend). He married Margaret Christina Hett (born Heywood) in 1868 in Islington when he was 22. |
Henry Herbert HettHenry Herbert Hett (born 11th October 1842, Kensington, London) was the brother of Edmund Sykes, Edward Keir as well as six other siblings. His parents were James Keir Hett and Maria Hett (born Townend). He was one of ten directors of Hett, Maylor & Co. Ltd. |
George Winfield HigginGeorge Winfield Higgin (1833 - 8th November 1892) was with Edmund Sykes Hett from the early days, even before The GSSR existed. He travelled to Almería in April of 1885 with Edmund to set up the Spanish side of the company. He was employed by The GSSR as their representative in Spain in about 1888. George opened an office in Lorca for the inspection of works under Juan Santamaría del Pozo. He was the Engineer-in-Chief until 1891, as well as that of the Manila Railway Company. |
Frank Percy HiggsMr Higgs was a director of The GSSR between 1935 and 1947 when he resigned due to ill health. He was also Company Secretary from 1928. |
Ambrose P. S. JonesAmbrose P.S. Jones (12th February 1859 - between October & December 1939) was General Manager of The GSSR office in Águilas between 1911 and 1913. There are still some documents with his signaure extant. He was married to Mary E Jones. When retired they lived at 25 Linton Road, Hastings. |
A.F. JuddMr Judd was the Company Secretary of The GSSR from the beginning in 1885 until at least 1919. |
Neil Cameron Kennedy Neil Cameron Kennedy (10th September 1850 - 1930) was one of the two General Managers of The GSSR at Águilas Head Office, the other being R.C.F. Ogilvie, from 1890 until 1895. He had been working in Spain since 1872 (and settled in Águilas in 1880) on the construction of mainly mining railways in areas such as Huélva and Bilbao. In 1875 he was working for Rio Tinto Zinc. His work for The GSSR was mainly involved with the development of the line, which wasn't opened to Baza until 1894 specially the Águilas to Empalme (Almendricos) section, one of the most geotechnically difficult of the line. |
Manuel López de la FerreiraManuel was head of track and works for the new section (Águilas to Alcantarilla). |
August LecoqAugust Lecoq was one of the original engineers to work on The GSSR, for the company Hett, Maylor. He had a large metal construction company in Halle from the 1850s manufacturing pre-fabricated parts for bridges and other major metal constructions. It is almost certain that he pre-fabricated and constructed the Gor viaduct and the Baúl viaduct. |
Jean Louis Lecoq SmithJean Louis Lecoq Smith was the son of August Lecoq and also an engineer. He was responsible for the building of the bridges from the factory in Halle, including those on the section between Baza and Granada. |
Jeffrey Inglis LeightonJeffrey Inglis Leighton (1843 - 1908). His brother was Thomas Nicoll Leighton. He was one of the first ten directors of Hett, Maylor Company Limited. |
Thomas Nicoll LeightonThomas Nicoll Leighton (30th Sep 1846 - 26th Mar 1909) was one of the first ten directors of Hett, Maylor & Co. Ltd. He was born in Dundee and described himself as a businessman. |
Julio LeonésJulio was a lawyer from Lorca who was responsible for payments for land appropriated by The GSSR for the laying of track. |
M. LevysohnM. Levysohn was a director of The GSSR fron 1887 until 1900. |
Richard LewisRichard (Ricardo) Lewis was the first Manager of the Workshops and Stores. He arrived in Águilas in the March of 1888, well known to Mr Kennedy, he being the Manager of Construction. His first job was to be in charge of the construction of bridges, under the orders of George Bulmer. This work gave him innumerable problems, the least of which was getting materials on site when there were no roads, sometimes having to construct an access road first, sometimes bringing materials across ploughed fields. Many times he had to walk from Lorca to Almendricos (25Km) and then on to Águilas (20Km). One time he was passed by Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Bulmer on horseback who, seeing his predicament, ordered him a donkey on which to travel. In September of 1888 he was charged with managing the assembly of the locomotives and other material that had arrived in the port. He was manager of the department until 1910, when he retired at 60 years of age. He died on the 16th February 1923 aged 73. |
James LiveseyJames Livesey C.E. (11th May 1831 - 3rd February 1925) was an engineering architect who made many plans for The GSSR, including those for the first Gor viaduct, many stations, and the El Hornillo loading pier. He was the husband of Sarah Ford Livesey. |
Miguel Lloret BaldóMiguel Lloret Baldó worked for The GSSR in the Commercial Department in the approximate period from 1898 to 1920. He was with Gustave Gillman the day in 1898 the Company paid the sum of 120,000 pesetas to two miners as recompense for perceived damages due to expropriation of mining land. The most important thing to historians is that he contributed a column to 'El Boletín' (the Company magazine) called "The Great Southern of Spain Railway Company" thus giving us much information regarding the history of the Company. |
William Stronach LockhartWilliam Stronach Lockhart (9th October 1850 - 12th August 1924) was Edmund Sykes Hett's agent in Calle Cervantes, 33, Madrid in the early days during the formation of Hett, Maylor & Co Ltd and The GSSR. He was heavily involved with the politics of the early days of The GSSR, dealing with the Companía del Puerto de Águilas as well as with the Governor of Murcia, Emilio Pérez Villanueva. |
George Loring HerediaGeorge Loring Heredia was the son of George Loring Oyarzabal and a young engineer who supervised the labour for the construction of the line and stations but reduced the employees' wages to an extent that there were serious problems with both them and The GSSR. See here. |
Alejandro Marín GarcíaAlejandro Marín García was a mine owner and had the concession for a mine in The Sierra de Aguilón called Quien Tal Pensara (Who would have thought it), and Francisco Carrasco owned the neighbouring mine San José. As can be seen from the map, The GSSR ran straight through the mine concessions. Up until the arrival of The GSSR, the mines were effectively unproductive due to the costs of transport to the beach at Los Terreros 4 kilometres away. Instead of realizing the wonderful benefits of having a railway on their land, they took out legal action against the railway company which dragged on for many years, finally costing The GSSR 110,000 pesetas (about £585,000 in today's money). See the translation of El Boletín on this subject. |
John MaylorJohn Maylor (10th June 1827 - 5th November 1887) along with Edmund Sykes Hett created the company and was one of the first ten directors of Hett, Maylor & Co Ltd. He knew Edmund from about 1855 when he was an engineer in charge of the Marine Arsenal in Rio de Janeiro and shared quarters with him. They became firm friends. In 1857, Edmund married Julia Claudine Yarrow which meant that Maylor and he were related as Maylor had married her sister, Emily Cornelia in 1854, both in Rio de Janeiro. This also made John and Edmund the brothers-in-law to Thomas Alexander and Frederick John Yarrow and cousins-in-law to Alfred Fernandez Yarrow. |
William McKerrowWilliam McKerrow (21st April 1844 - 27th May 1918). One of the first directors of The GSSR from 1900. Described as a merchant. In 1861 he was registered as living at Dornal, Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland with his widower father and family. In 1871 he was registered in the census as living at Beansburn, Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, just 20 km up the road. It seems at this time that he was living alone with his siblings and was the 'Head' of the house, suggesting that they had lost both their parents in some way. He was married to Annie McKerrow (b: Bruce). |
Robert MercerRobert Mercer was one of the first seven directors of The GSSR as well as being an engineer for the company. In addition, he was one of the first ten directors of Hett, Maylor & Co. Ltd. |
Henry Andrew MicklemColonel Henry Andrew Micklem, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. was a director of The GSSR for 37 years from 1914 to 1951 when the company was wound up. He spent most of his adult life in the British Army being seriously injured on a number of occasions. His Winchester College entry says: |
Jose NovaesJose was responsible for the construction of the section between Águilas and Alcantarilla. This included the boring of the five tunnels in the section Puerto de Los Peines, the most geotechnically difficult section of the whole line. |
Perry Fairfax NurseyPerry Fairfax Nursey, who was born in 1831 in Burlingham St Andrew to Perry Dancer and Sarah Elizabeth Nursey, was one of the original seven members of The GSSR Board of Directors. He was President of The Society of Engineers in 1886. Interestingly, he was listed in the Certificate of Incorporation of The GSSR on the 17th December 1885 as President of The Society of Engineers. Presumably he already knew that he had been elected. His address at the time was given as 151, Fleet Street, London, E.C. |
Robert Charles Frederick OgilvieR.C.F. Ogilvie (20th September 1854 - 4th April 1908) was one of the two General Managers of The GSSR at Águilas Head Office from 1890 to May 1895, the other being Neil Kennedy. Mr Ogilvie was more involved with the general running of the company, allowing Kennedy to deal with the legal problems that were occurring at the time. |
Charles Hunter PearsonCharles Hunter Pearson (1879 - 22nd October 1958) was a director of The GSSR between 1924 and 7th November 1951 when the company was wound up. He was chairman from approximately 1935 to the bitter end. Alliance Investment Company Charles Hunter Pearson died in Allan Down, Rotherfield, Sussex leaving an estate valued at £77,370 2s 6d equivalent to approximately £1,900,000 at today's rates. |
Richard PopkissRichard Popkiss M.Inst. C.E.
(23rd October 1856 - 4th December 1932) was invoved in the construction of The GSSR up until 1895.
American Cuban Estates Corporation
He left the sum in his estate of £7,570 13s 11d equivalent to approximately £520,000 at today's rates. |
Fitzpatrick William Bulkley PraedOne of the first Directors of The GSSR between 1900 and 1914. Declared as a secretary to Public Companies. He was replaced by Col. Micklem. |
Ivo Bosch PuigBorn in Areyns de Mar, Barcelona in 1852, Ivo Bosch Puig became wealthy as a financier. He invested heavily in railway construction and was involved with the construction of the Baza to Guadix section. |
Henry Atwell PurdonHenry Atwell Purdon (1857-1927), the son of the Irish railway engineer Wellington Purdon and under whom he trained as an appretice for five years, was the General Manager of The GSSR between 1890 and 1897. |
Bartolomé Ródenas RosasBartolomé was the contractor of building works along with his son Francisco, who was a young architect. |
Francisco Ramírez CarmonaFrancisco Ramírez Carmona was the first person to draw up plans for a railway from Granada to Murcia. On the 14th March 1884 he sold the plans to Edmund Sykes Hett, thus starting the saga of The GSSR. |
Roberto Robert y Surís, Marquis of RobertThe family of Roberto originated from Llagostera in Catalonia. He was born in Barcelona on the 15th January 1851 and was a politician, aristocrat, financier and businessman. In 1871, he became licenced in Law but dedicated himself to finance, becoming president of the Barcelona Board of Trade, Industry and Shipping and of Banco Hispano Colonial. In recognition of his achievements, Pope Leo XIII conferred him the Marquisate of Robert and in 1891 the Queen María Christina (wife of Alfonso XII) conferred the Marquesado de Serralavega. During his life, he gained many more accolades. |
George RussellSir George Russell, 4th Baronet M.P. was a director of The GSSR in 1886. He was born on 23 August 1828 the son of Sir Henry Russell, 2nd Bt. and Marie Clotilde de la Fontaine. He married Constance Charlotte Elisa Lennox, daughter of Lt. Col. Lord Arthur Lennox and Adelaide Constance Campbell, on 5 March 1867. At the time of his directorship of The GSSR he lived at Swallowfield Park, Reading. |
Alejandro Santamaría de PazAlejandro Santamaría de Paz was the Medical Director of The GSSR in Spain. He was responsible for the healthcare of up to 900 railway workers and their families as well as for the training of first aid to volunteers who subsequently passed the St John's Association exams. He was present on the two occasions of major accidents, the one at Pulpí where he attended many injured passengers. He was a great friend of George Boag, they both enjoying motorcyle outings together on days off. |
Juan Santamaría del PozoJuan Santamaría del Pozo was born to Alejandro Santamaría and Basilia Santamaría (born del Pozo).
He married Catalina Santamaría del Pozo (nee de Paz y Estrada in Rambla (Granada)).
They had 2 children: Alejandro SantamarÃa de Paz (who became the Chief Medical Officer of The GSSR) and one other child. |
Eduardo Argenti Schülz Eduardo was the chief engineer of The GSSR in the early days and was responsible for getting the approval for the Águilas to Almendricos section. He built a beautiful beach house at La Carolina, now sadly a ruin. |
Chas. J.C. ScottCharles (Chas.) J C Scott (b: 1849 Jamaica) was a director of The GSSR in 1887. He was also director of: The Union Bank of Spain and England Ltd. It seems that he was also a member of Richmond Cricket Club. |
David Cooper ScottDavid Cooper Scott was a major investor (over 5 million pounds at today's rates) in Hett, Maylor & Co Ltd. His address at the time was Lamorbey Park, Bexley. He was described as a 'merchant'. He was born in Brechin in 1826 to George Cooper and Anne Laing. He married Jesuina Wilson in Bahia on the 20th November 1857. Jesuina (or Jessie) was the second daughter of Edward Pellew Wilson who was the brother of Fleetwood Wilson for whom Edmund Sykes Hett was working as a clerk when he was 18, and where he met David and Edward. They subsequently, in 1850, went to Bahia to set up the company Wilson, Scott & Hett. On the 30th June 1870 he was widowed when Jessie died at Broadwater Down, Tunbridge Wells. She was just 30 years of age. Scott, Hett & Co. Río de Janeiro He died on the 22nd June 1890 leaving an estate of £64,907 3s 1d, approximately equivalent to £8,500,000 at today's rates. |
M ServysonOne of the original directors of The GSSR from 1900. He died in 1901. |
Robert Maughan TaylorRobert Maughan Taylor (1868-1896) worked for a short time in 1888 for The GSSR. |
Gerard Philip TorrensGerard Philip Torrens (10th April 1852 - 26th May 1905) was one of the original directors from 1892, and from 1900 Chairman of The GSSR, and director of The Hornillo Company from its inception in 1902 until 1905, when he died at the relatively young age of 53.
Barcelona Tramways He was also the Assistant Engineer on construction
of The East Argentine Railway.
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Thomas WebbThomas Webb was a Welsh colliery proprietor, probably connected with David Davies. He was one of the first seven directors of The GSSR on it's inception in 1885 but only stayed that year. |
Edward WoodsEdward Woods, Esq., M. Inst. C.E., (28th April 1814 - 14th June 1903) was Past President of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a director of The GSSR from 1887 until 1900. He was also a director of the Reyna Mining Company from 1880 and Engineer in Chief of the Bilbao Mining Company Limited from 1871 and chairman of The City of Buenos Ayres Tramways Company Ltd. |
Alfred Edwin YarrowAlfred Edwin Yarrow (22nd November 1838 - 11th July 1905) was a brother-in-law of Edmund Sykes Hett and director of 'United National Collieries Limited', David Davies being the Managing Director. He was also a director of a mercantile business in Uruguay and Brazil with Henry Herbert Hett and Alfred Fernandez Yarrow called Yarrow, Hett & Co. from which he retired on 31st December 1872. |
Alfred Fernandez YarrowSir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow, 1st Baronet of Homestead was one of the first seven directors of The GSSR from 1885 to 1886. He was an industrialist and the father of the Yarrow Shipbuilding dynasty. He was born on the 13th January 1842 to Edgar Williams Yarrow and Esther (née: Lindo). His first marriage was to Minnie Florence Franklin, daughter of Frank Franklin and Theodosia (née Balderson). He married again in later life Eleanor Cecilia, the daughter of W Goodwin Barnes on the 2nd December 1922. In addition, he was cousin-in-law to both John Maylor and Edmund Sykes Hett and cousin to Thomas Alexander and Frederick John Yarrow. He was a director of 'The African Steamship Company Limited', 'Yarrow & Co. Ltd.', 'Yarrow, Hett & Co.' with Henry Herbert Hett and Alfred Edwin Yarrow, and 'The African International Flotilla and Transport Company Limited'. An inventor, he was a regular contributor to 'Mechanical Engineering Magazine'. See also Graces Guide. Alfred Fernandez Yarrow died on the 24th January 1932 in The Savoy Hotel at the age of 90 leaving £248,625 17s 1d, the equivalent today being approximately 18 million pounds. |
Frederick John YarrowFrederick John Yarrow (1844 - 1928) was one of the first ten directors of Hett, Maylor & Co. Ltd. He married Eliza (nee: Guthrie) in 1872. He was the brother of Thomas Alexander Yarrow and cousin to Alfred Fernandez Yarrow as well as brother-in-law to John Maylor and Edmund Sykes Hett. He was a director of 'The Gartmore Ceylon Tea Company Company Limited' and 'The Seville Tramways Company Limited', whose secretary was A.F. Judd, the same secretary of The GSSR. Additionally, he was a director of 'Wilson, Sons & Co. Ltd.' along with Edmund Sykes Hett and E.E.M. Hett, and 'Deep Navigation Colleries Limited' as was David Davies. |
Harold Edgar YarrowSir Harold Edgar Yarrow was the son of Alfred Fernandez Yarrow and the inheritor of the 'Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd' empire. He was also a director of 'The Steel Company of Scotland Limited'. |
Thomas Alexander YarrowThomas Alexander Yarrow (29th March 1846 - 15th January 1912) was one of the first ten directors of Hett, Maylor & Co. Ltd. He was brother to Frederick John Yarrow, cousin to Alfred Fernandez Yarrow and brother-in-law to John Maylor and Edmund Sykes Hett. He was a director of 'The Kootenay Valleys Company Limited', owner of about 78,000 acres of land with water rights in British Columbia; 'The British Columbia New Gold Fields Corporation Limited'and 'Athabasca Gold Mine Limited'. |