PODE
,
Sir
EDWARD JULIAN
(
1902
-
1968
),
accountant and industrialist
;
b. in
Sheffield
26 June 1902
, s. of
Edward
and
Lilla
(née
Telfer
)
Pode
, educated at
Mount House
, near
Plymouth
and in
H.M.S. Conway
, he served in the
Royal Navy
during
World War I
. In
1926
he entered on his life-work in Welsh industry when he joined
Guest, Keen & Nettlefolds, Ltd.
as
district accountant
at
Dowlais
. When the heavy steel interests of
GKN
and
Baldwins, Ltd.
were amalgamated he became
secretary
of the new company in
1930
and in
1938
took over the
commercial managership
as well. In
1943
he was promoted
assistant managing director
of
Guest, Keen, Baldwins Iron and Steel Co., Ltd.
Two years later he became
managing director
. Though personally opposed to the nationalisation of the steel industry, he was persuaded in
1947
to assume the directorship of the newly-formed
Steel Company of Wales
, being
chairman
from
1962 to 1967
. Under his guidance it grew to be the biggest steel company in
Europe
, with the output of steel increasing from half a million to 3 m. tonnes per year. He was a
member of the executive committee
and later
president
(
1962-64
) of the
British Iron and Steel Federation
and became
vice-president
of the
Iron and Steel Institute
. He took a
keen interest in saving fuel
and wrote an article on ‘
Fuel efficiency in industry
’ in
Industrial Wales
,
June 1952
, becoming
director
and later
chairman
(
1965
) of the
National Industrial Efficiency Service
. He held numerous interests outside the steel industry, serving as
chairman
of the
Development Corporation of Wales
(
1958
) and of the
Prince of Wales Dry Dock Co., Swansea, Ltd.
, and a
director
of
Lloyd's Bank, Ltd.
He held fellowships in his profession and an
honorary diploma
. His contributions to public life were acknowledged when he became
high sheriff
of
Glamorgan
in
1948
and
J.P.
in
1951
. In
1957
the borough of
Port Talbot
recognised his great contribution in raising the prosperity of the district by making him an
honorary freeman
. He was
knighted
in the
New Year's List
,
1959
. His down-to-earth approach and his gift of getting directly to the heart of a problem, his readiness to take instant and firm decisions, and his ability to obtain the highest standards from those who worked under him, were qualities which contributed to his remarkable success in his profession. One of his hobbies was
farming
and he was as popular among the farmers in
Bonvilston
as among the town dwellers of
Port Talbot
. In
1930
he m.
Jean
Finlay
, dau. of
F.
Finlayson
of
Gwynfa
,
Caswell
,
Swansea
, and they had two children. He d. at his home,
The Great House
in
Bonvilston
,
11 June 1968
, and he was buried in
Bonvilston churchyard
.
Bibliography:
-
,
1961-70
;
-
,
7 and 8 March 1957, 13 June 1968
;
-
,
13 and 18 June 1968
;
-
information from his son
John Pode
.
Author:
