People

Edwin Charles Carnt, M.Inst.C.E.

1858-1915

Research indicates that he was born in Portsmouth area around 1858, no information has been found about his early life until we find him listed as an Assistant Engineer on the Armour Plated Ironclad, HMS Alexander around 1880. The ship was launched in 1875 at Chatham with a weigh of 9490 tons and it was the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet. He married in the period April/June 1880.

The 1881 census lists him as ‘on vessels’ in the Royal Navy. In the 1891 census he is shown as living in Lancashire with his wife Annie Augusta. In 1901 he was living at Park Gate, York Avenue, East Cowes, Isle of Wight.

His death occurred on Thursday 5TH August at Westwood House, Wootton, at the age of 57 years. He was the chairman and managing director of J. S. White’s Shipbuilders of Cowes, Isle of White.

The funeral started off from his home at Westwood House, Wootton with the chief mourners, Eng.-Captain A.J. Carnt R.N. [brother], Mr. S. G. Carnt [nephew, also worked at White’s] Eng. Comdr. David Bennett R.N. and Dr. Denton together with senior officials from company. His widow did not accompany the coffin, and at her special request the obsequies were of the simple and quiet character. The solemnity and impressiveness, emphasising the sense of the great loss felt by the passing away of an exception man who can ill be spared.

The funeral on the 9th of August was a magnificent affair with leading official of J. S. White’s and about 1000 employees together with representatives from the Admiralty, other companies and naval offices in uniform. It was met near at the junction of Brocks Copse Road and Whippingham by guests and the staff and workforce of the company who lined both sides of the road then followed the cortège to St Mildred Church, Whippingham.

The coffin draped in the Union Jack and covered with exquisite lilies from his widow was meet at the lychgate by The Rector [Canon Clement Smith, M.V.O., R.D. chaplain-in-ordinary to the King and Rev. Charles Collis, Vicar of Freemantle [Southampton], who was previously at St Paul, Newport.

The church was overflowing with floral tributes from family, J. S. White’s management, workforce, companies and friends.

Mrs. Annie Augusta Carnt who had no children, gave Westwood to her niece Katherine Margaret Mitchell in 1924, however she is still listed as living there in the 1927 edition of Kelly’s Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. She died in April 1927 and the only person recorded as dying at that time with the name Carnt is in London. She is buried next to her husband in the family grave at Whippingham Church. Newspaper reports say that people who knew her speak highly of her, and how she retained an interest in the well being of the less fortunate at J. S. White’s. Also buried in the family grave at Whippingham is Edwin brother, Walter George Carnt of Manchester who died 4th February 1916 aged 55 and his wife Eleanor Anne.

20th June 1920 Dedication Service

At the Parish Church of Wootton on Sunday morning 20th June the Bishop of Southampton dedicated the splendid gifts by Mrs Carnt in memory of her late husband. These were the complete installation of electric light in the church together with its own generating equipment, replastering of the walls, the restoration of the fabric was carried under the supervision of an architect the work also included an overall of the organ. The church was fully lighted for the service and the Bishop said it made the service more cheerful, and there were not many churches that had such benefits.

The impact of Edwin C. Carnt on J.S. White’s.

He was distinguished by his commanding presence and a broad energetic, constructive and powerful mind. His keen grasp of detail, foresight, quick and sound judgement was remarkable, even among those whose business calls for the possession of these qualifications. He was an untiring worker, and to his personal energy and incentive is to be ascribed the re-entry into the front rank of the old business of “White of Cowes”, which concern he joined as engineering director in March 1898. Immediately following his appointment the engine works that had been established in 1889 on the site of the old Medina Dock and the shipyard was subjected to an exceptionally vigorous, comprehensive and enlightened policy. At that period the construction of machinery had been confined to the manufacture of high-speed fast- engines running, pinnace engines, and various types of small machinery for mining vessels, yachts, and small mercantile craft. The first part of his development programme took the form of the erection of a new boiler shop immediately joining the engine works, to replace the existing one attached to the iron shipbuilders department at East Cowes. The White-Forster boiler was in its initial stages, and orders were received for a considerable number of this new type for re-boilering of various torpedo craft at home and abroad. Immediately following this, the Admiralty placed their first order with the company for the complete machinery for 1st class torpedo boats, which hitherto had been sub-contracted by White’s. The order consisted of four vessels Nos. 114, 115, 116 and 117, with single screw reciprocating engines, triple expansion type 3000-i.h.p. and coal fuel boilers. This order embodied a high water mark in interchange ability of equipment, and involved the re-construction of the engine shops, the re-equipping of the firm tool room, and the introduction of a “Limit Gauge system. This contract was successfully executed, and allowed the Admiralty to gain confidence in the company’s ability. This was proved when an order for a further two vessels of the River class, these embodied twin screw reciprocating engine of the four cylinder triple expansion type totalling 7000 H.P. with coal burning boilers. Interchangeability was an important part of the order allowing the exchange of engines between ships; they were built and preformed well in sea trials.

The following year [1905] the Admiralty introduced turbine machinery an oil burning boilers for coastal destroyers, these were the forerunners of the Tribal class, the specification called 33 knots at full power for 8 hours. The ships were fitted with Parsons turbines [first manufactured by that company] and meet the required specification. In order to build these ships a considerable amount of re-construction and re-equipping of both the engine and shipyard as required. Land was reclaimed on both sides of the Medina allowing the extension of the foundry, machine and boiler shops. The modernisation of the works helped secure repeat orders for three batches of coastal destroyers and three Tribal class ships. Whilst torpedo craft machinery and other developments evolved Edwin Carnt ensured that the company kept abreast with them all, and to him must go the credit for the company’s success.

The engine department now had an annual output of a 100,000-H.P. and in order ensure that the fitting out of ship was not delayed he sunk re-enforced concrete piles on the site of the Medina dock and erected a 80-ton electric crane of the hammer head type which is still a landmark in the Solent.

In 1911 a serious fire, which started in the pattern shop, destroyed part of the engine works including pattern shop, patterns, tool-room, machine and erecting shops. Again the management skills of Edwin Carnt came to the fore, and he almost built a complete new factory, incorporating all the latest technology. The rebuilding work did not stop the company’s development work, so ensuring that J.S White remained at the forefront of design. With the advent of aviation he realised its important and in 1914 he had designed a layout for the finest aviation works in existence at the time {Somerton]. He was a very approachable man and carried working even when his health was at risk.

He joined the board as manager of the engineering department in1898 and was appointed managing director in 1911. The number employed in 1898 was 350 engineering and 250 shipbuilding yard, total 600, in 1915 there were 1600, 1500, totalling 3100. The output of engines in 1898 was 3000 HP., in 1915, upwards of 100,000 HP.