Allen agent in Japan
This portrait photograph from the records of W H Allen & Son, Queens Park, Bedford [ref.AQ8/11/2f] is of Mr G B Slater, agent and representative fro the company in Japan from 1907 to 1933.
In January 1912 he reported to the Queen's Engineering Works magazine [ref.Z791/6]:
"We have had a right good year, dashing about the country securing orders, losing others, checkmating competitors here, there and everywhere, suffering in a similar manner, fixing up new machinery, attending trials and 'opening ceremonies' and other kinds of ceremonies peculiar to the country.
My work here is varied and extremely interesting, comprising a certain amount of ordinary office routine, but chiefly work on all manner of estimates for the 'Bedford' specialities.
New irrigation and drainage machinery has not been orderedheavily this year, in consequence of an excellent rice harvest last year, but the various new pumping sets we have installed have proved, as usual, very successful.
The latest order is for three 180kw triple expansion steam alternators, two 75kw compound sets, five surface condensers and six 20in twin parallel motor driven intake pumps. This is a very complete little plant, and an excellent example of what Bedford can turn out.
Apart from business matters, I am very happy here and like Tokyo immensely.
The two chief items of excitement in Tokyo this year have been an enormous fire in the Spring, which carved a hole through the city three miles long, and a mile wide, clearing away about 40,000 houses. I was able to watch it all through the Sunday from very close quarters and a most appalling sight it was.
Then in the summer a bad typhoon struck us, lasting all night. It was my first experience of one, and I do not want another."
The success of Mr Slater in Japan in subsequent years was reported on in the Queens Engineering Works Magazine of 1931:
Commencing in 1927 and extending to the end of 1930, marine work in Japan kept us extremely busy.For the new construction of the Nippon Yusen Kaisha (Japan Steamship co.) we secured what was probably one of the largest orders ever placed with one firm for Diesel engines and dynamos for the new ships for this well known company. All the seventeen sets of Diesel engines were of the six cylinder type, and were fitted in the new ships Asama Maru, Tatsuta Maru, Terukuni Maru, Yasukuni Maru and Heiyo Maru.
To Mr Slater & his staff we owe a great deal for the splendid services they have rendered.
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