He served an apprenticeship at Mather and Platt's ironworks in Salford, while studying part-time at Victoria University, Manchester.
[3] At the age of 24 he became a consulting engineer to Hubbard Textile Printing Works, St Petersburg, Russia.
[3] In 1917 he was awarded a Telford Premium medal by the Institution of Civil Engineers, and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his wartime services.
[4] From 1918 to 1928 he worked for William Beardmore and Company designing high speed diesel engines.
[7] He remained Bury's member of parliament until he stood down at the next election in 1945,[6] which was delayed due to the Second World War.