Robert Leslie OBE
Robert Leslie was born at Sanday in the Orkney Islands in April
1854, the son of blacksmith Thomas and Margaret Leslie and he was
educated at Kirkwall Grammar School and then Edinburgh High School.
He was then apprenticed to engineers John Scott and Son of
Inverkeithing, Scotland where he learnt his trade.
Marine Engineer
At the age of 20 he joined
the P & O Steamship Company as fifth engineer on the steamship Surat
and began a stellar career as a marine engineer.
Robert was clearly skilled
and benefitted from joining P and O at a time of Empire as he became
Chief Engineer in the SS Brindisi by the time he was just 24 years
of age.
He progressed as Chief
Engineer through the fleet serving on 21 P and O Steamships in the
next 14 years becoming a senior engineer within P and O finishing in
1888 of the SS Britannia which broke the record for fast sailing
from London to Australia by completing the journey in 34 days.
After the records breaking
voyage he was appointed as P and O Manager of Albert Docks in London
where he was to stay for 15 years. During this period he managed the
docks and oversaw the fitting out of many company vessels as well as
transports and hospital ships for the Admiralty.
In 1903 he was appointed as
Chief Superintending Engineer of P and O and took on many tasks
including the move of berths from London to Tilbury Docks.
Robert belonged to the
Institute of Naval Engineers and was a founder member of the
Institute of Marine Engineers.
Robert retired just before
the war but in 1914 was immediately recalled to work as a consultant
for the Royal Navy throughout the war. Given the large number of P
and O vessels taken over by the Navy, his knowledge proved
invaluable.
In 1918 he was awarded an OBE
in recognition of this work.
Burnham on Crouch
Robert first stayed with
his brother at Mangapps Farm but when in 1910 he decided to make
Burnham home he bought a plot in Green Lane and built a new house,
named Holyrood after his native Scotland, into which cleverly
incorporated an old Methodist Chapel.
His obituary in the Essex
Newsman stated that he had always been generous to all local
religious, charitable and sporting associations locally.
He was chairman of the Maldon
District Boy Scouts Association, and was one of the main movers of
the establishment of Burnham Golf Club, holding the office of
President from its formation until his death. He was also presidents
of Burnham Ramblers Football Clubs, a member of the Royal Burnham
Yacht Club and a founder of the Royal Burnham Lodge of Freemasons.
Personal Life
Robert married Joan H Nichol
at Edinburgh in 1884 and the couple moved to England to live at West
Ham and Ilford but sadly Joan died in November 1914 at which time
Robert moved permantly to Burnham on Crouch.
He married 34year old Bertha
Bird Badcock in June 1915.
Bertha was appointed as a
Magistrate in 1934 and sat regularly on the Southminster Bench.
Bertha remained in Burnham on
Crouch after Roberts death until she died on 30 November 1960 and
was also buried in Burnham cemetery.
Death
Robert fell ill in November
1938 and a month later on 26 December 1938 he died.
Roberts funeral took place
on 31 December 1938 at St Mary’s Church, Burnham on Crouch where
there was a huge attendance of local people alongside
representatives of the many facets of Roberts Life.
