William Arthur BUTTERFIELD [1873-1943]

Submitted by Admin on Sat, 04/27/2024 - 18:09
Names
Given
William Arthur
Family
Butterfield
Sex
Male
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
(Day & Month are approximate.)
Died
Date
(Day & Month are approximate.)

Serenade writes:

My grandfather, William  Arthur Butterfield, was an Engineer and he worked for the Asiatic Petroleum Company for 30 years.

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Connections: This person is ...
Parent of
Mary Gertrude Veronica Anne EVANS (née BUTTERFIELD, aka Bronnie) [1905-1991]
Hilda Hodgkinson BUTTERFIELD [1908-????]

Photos that show this Person

police reserve hk 14 18 b
1914
police reserve hk 14 18
1914
police reservists wwi hong kong william butterfield standing on the right
c.1914
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Comments

The first list he appears in is the list for 1914.

1914-15:

c Butterfield William Arthur Engineer Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.         North Point

1916-17:

c

Butterfield

William Arthur

Engineer

Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.

 

 

162

 

The Peak

1918-20:

c Butterfield William Arthur Engineer Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.     5   The Peak

1921: not listed

1922:

c Butterfield William Arthur Engineer Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.   Hongkong Club 47 Robinson Road

1923-24:

c Butterfield William Arthur Engineer Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.   Peak Hotel

1925, promoted to Chief Engineer:

c Butterfield William Arthur Chief Engineer Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.   Peak Hotel

1926-27:

c   Butterfield William Arthur Chief Engineer Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.   On premises

1928, change of title to Assistant:

c   Butterfield William Arthur Assistant Asiatic Petroleum Co., Ld.   On premises

1929: not listed

1930-36:

c Butterfield William Arthur Assistant Asiatic Petroleum Co Ld.

 

 On premises

1937:

c   Butterfield William Arthur Assist. Asiatic Petroleum Co.(S.C.) Ld   On premises

 That is the last year he appears in the lists.

An article on William Arthur Butterfield's pending retirement  can be read here in the China Mail on 26 November 1937. He completed 30 years of service with the Asiatic Petroleum Company and was the Superintendent Engineer of the Engineering Department. Mr. Butterfield was also a keen member of the Police Reserve and held the rank of Inspector.

Thanks Moddsey, that's a good find. Here is the text of the article:

MR. W.A. BUTTERFIELD SEVERING LINK OF OVER THIRTY YEARS WITH COLONY

An association with the Colony of over 32 years terminates to-morrow when Mr. W. A. Butterfield, superintendent engineer of the Engineering Department of the Asiatic Petroleum Company, leaves in the Ranchi for England, on retirement.

Joining the A.P.C., 30 years ago, Mr. Butterfield has, for the greater part of his service with that concern, been stationed in the Colony, apart from brief periods of service in Shanghai and India. He has been in charge of the Engineering Department since he first arrived and has been largely responsible for building up that organisation to its present proportions.

During his long stay in Hong Kong he has seen many changes and been present during many of the dark hours in its history. He has vivid recollections of the great typhoon of 1906 and most of the big blows subsequent to that date. During the Chinese revolution of 1911, said Mr. Butterfield, the Chinese in the Colony literally went wild with excitement.

Commandering any means of transport they could lay their hands on, they dashed around the island in cars, rickshaws, tram-cars and other odd assortments of vehicles, cutting off their queues as they went.

KEEN FREEMASON

Mr. Butterfield is a keen Freemason and is a Past Master of the Perseverence Lodge. He is a member of the Hong Kong Club, the Hong Kong Cricket Club and the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club, among others, and his favourite recreation is golf.

He was a keen member of the Police Reserve under the late Mr. F. C. Jenkin, and held the rank of Inspector.

Mr. Butterfield received his training as an engineer with Messrs. R. and H. Green, in London, and for the period of his stay in the Colony has been recognised as one of the leading engineering authorities.

EXPERT WITNESS

It will be recalled that Mr. Butterfield, gave expert evidence, on behalf of Government, at the inquiries into two of the greatest local disasters in the last decade, the Gasworks and Dojima Maru explosions.

He leaves one daughter, Mrs. D. B. Evans, in the Colony, while one son, Mr. C. H. Butterfield, is in practice as a barrister-at-law, and the other, Mr. H. W. Butterfield; is connected with insurance, both in London.

Asked by a "China Mail" representative whether he felt any regret at leaving Hong Kong, Mr. Butterfield said that he naturally did, more especially as he was just beginning to like the place. He has not yet decided where he will spend his retirement but will probably settle down in the South of England, spending his winters in the South of France.

The many friends he leaves behind him in Hong Kong will join us in wishing him long life and happiness in the Old Country.