Person

Todhunter, Benjamin Edward (1865 - 1952)

Born
27 August 1865
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died
1952
Occupation
Industrial chemist

Summary

Benjamin Edward Todhunter was a New Zealander who was a member of both the ICI UK and the ICI Australia Boards in the 1930s. He foresaw a major potential market in Australia for ammonium nitrate based fertilisers, but it was almost 40 years before this eventuated.

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Details

Born Opawa, Christchurch, New Zealand, 27 August 1865. Died 1952. OBE 1918. Educated London University. Work with Faulkner & Tancred on the Winchester & Whitchurch railway 1884-86; helped his uncle, Julius von Haast at the Colonial & Indian Exhibition in London 1886-87; railway engineering firm, Baldry & Yerburgh 1887; returned to New Zealand 1888; partnership, Todhunter & Jennings, Auctioneers & Estate Agents 1890-95; to England 1896; The West Hydraulic Engineering Company 1896?-1906; Managing Director, The Cotton Powder Co. sometime after 1905-1918; Director, Explosive Trades (formed from merger of all explosive manufacturers including the Cotton Powder Company) 1918-20, when name changed to Nobel Industries; went to Australia 1919 to bring together all the Australian Explosives manufacturing interests; went to South Africa 1923 for negotiations with De Beers over the amalgamation of all the explosives interests in South Africa; ICI formed 1926; went to Australia 1928 to put together all the ICI interests in Australia and New Zealand; in charge of the Associated Companies between World War I and World War II - Lighting Trades, The Paper Goods Manufacturing Co., Steatite & Porcelain Products, The Portland Glass Co. and Murex & Murex Welding Processes; retired 1947.

Between 1926 and 1965 there was a Todhunter on the ICI board for all but 4 years.

Published resources

Resources

See also

Rosanne Walker

Created: 25 May 2001, Last modified: 25 May 2006

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