SOUTHALL, REGINALD BRADBURY (1900 - 1965), oil refinery director

Name: Reginald Bradbury Southall
Date of birth: 1900
Date of death: 1965
Spouse: Phyllis May Southall (née Hemming)
Parent: Harriette Southall
Parent: George Henry Southall
Gender: Male
Occupation: oil refinery director
Area of activity: Business and Industry
Author: Mary Auronwy James

Born at Bollington, Cheshire, 5 June 1900, son of the Rev. George Henry Southall, and Harriette his wife. He was educated at West Monmouth School. After spending a few years in the steel industry he joined the laboratory staff of the National Oil Refineries, (subsequently the British Petroleum Refinery (Llandarcy), Ltd.), when the Llandarcy refinery came into operation in 1921 and he remained there except for short absences abroad. He saw the works grow to become the company's second largest refinery in the U.K., whilst he progressed from being works manager in 1942, to become a director in 1950. In 1960 he also became director of British Hydrocarbon Chemicals, Ltd., whose plant at Baglan Bay was fed by the Llandarcy refinery. He was a wise counsellor and was deeply involved with industrial organisations in Wales as a member of the Welsh Regional Board for Industry, director of the Development Corporation for Wales, 1958-64, chairman of the Welsh Advisory Water Committee, and member of the British Transport Docks Board, 1963-65. He was U.K. delegate to the International Labour Office of the Petroleum Industry Committee from its inception in 1947 to 1960.

He became a J.P. in 1954 and was president of the Swansea Chamber of Commerce, 1958-59. He showed a keen interest in scientific education and published various articles. He was vice-president of the University College of Swansea, 1956-64, and a governor of the Welsh College of Advanced Technology. He served on the Robbins committee on higher education, 1961-63, and became a member of the newly formed Central Training Council in 1964. In 1956 he was elected the first chairman of the Industrial Museum of South Wales. He received the C.B.E. in 1953 for his public services, and an hon. LL.D. of the University of Wales in 1962. In 1925 he married Phyllis May Hemming. They had one daughter and lived at The Meadows, Bishopston, Swansea. He died 1 December 1965.

Author

Published date: 2001

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