The Colourful Life of an Engineer: Volume 5 - World Travels & London Life Between the Wars (1924 - 1933)

About Harry C. Lott

The world travels and adventures of a consulting engineer working for Balfour Beatty & Co. (BB) and living in London in the 1920s and 30s make fascinating reading of a bygone era. Harry joined BB in 1924 after 4 years in Mesopotamia returning on the SS Empress of Canada via Bombay and Vancouver and visiting ten countries on the way. In Hawaii he was in the crater of Mt Kilauea when the volcano erupted and was lucky to escape with his life. He undertook safari surveys in Kenya to assess the hydro-electric potential of the Tana and Maragua rivers for the East African Power and Lighting Company (EAP&L) and became their London manager. In 1929 Harry travelled to Shanghai on the Trans-Siberian Express to submit BBs bid for the Shanghai Municipal Electricity Dept. returning by ship via Japan and Canada and completing his second journey around the world. He spent several months in Madras in 1929 visiting the site and negotiating a contract for the Pykara Falls hydro-electric scheme returning via Kenya to attend a Tribunal for EAP&L. His survey of the Government Electrical Installations in Nigeria in 1932 involved travels throughout the country and several weeks enjoying the hospitality in Government House Lagos. In London Harry produced reports for BB on new power and infrastructure projects in many countries living in the West Side Country Club in Ealing and making full use of Londons best hotels and restaurants for entertaining friends. He joined the Constitutional Club went to the latest plays and films in Londons theatres and new cinemas and was an active member of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institution of Civil Engineers. Most weekends were spent in the country at East Bergholt where his father was farming again. There were also visits to the Continent and bachelor weekends with friends in Paris and Le Touquet. After buying his first car a Clyno Tourer in 1926 he went on weekend outings with friends to fashionable south coast hotels. After 30 years with Balfour Beatty Harry retired in 1955 at the age of 72.