Spouse(s) Lilian Spicer Died 1961 Name Oliver Lyle | Employer(s) Tate & Lyle | |
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Born 1891 Weybridge, Surrey Parent(s) John Lyle & Margaret Macgregor Yorke Significant projects Steam Efficiency at Thames Refinery | ||
Engineering discipline Energy engineering | ||
Oliver Lyle (1891–1961) was a British sugar technologist during the early 20th-century
Contents
Early life
Oliver was born in 1891, the year his grandfather, Abram Lyle died, in Weybridge, Surrey to John Lyle, a sugar refiner and ship owner. He grew up in Surrey.
Military
During World War I he was an officer in the Highland Light Infantry
Work at Tate & Lyle
Oliver started work at Abram Lyle's sugar factory at Plaistow when he was 21 and did various manual jobs such as boiling sugar in the refinery pans. Later he and his brother, Philip, became joint refinery directors. Philip died in 1955. Oliver was now the sole male survivor of the third generation of sugar Lyles. Oliver Lyle was a meticulous record-keeper, as can be seen in his pocketbook, which he carried around with him for over 30 years.
Other activities
Oliver was an investor in Noel Macklin's Invicta Cars
Family
Married Lilian Spicer in Chertsey, Surrey in 1914. The couple had five children, John the eldest son went on to work in the family business.
Honours
In 1954 Lyle was invested in the Order of the British Empire for services in promoting fuel efficiency.