4: Miss e.f. Bull

14/1/2019

Engineer of the Week No. 4
Today we remember a metallurgist:
Miss E.F. Bull BSc (Mrs Dunlop)
Miss Bull had her first taste of engineering whilst working at the Galloway Engineering Company in Tongland, in the south of Scotland during, or possibly just after, the First World War. This was the factory set up in1916 by Thomas Pullinger (Dorothee Pullinger's father) as an experiment in training women as engineers whilst they also did munitions manufacturing work. She went to the Glasgow Technical College in the early 1920s and by 1926 had obtained a BSc in metallurgy. This would have been ideal for her work in her father’s family firm Bull’s Metal and Melloid Company in Yoker, Glasgow. The firm made propellor and other castings from bronze, their own ‘Bull's metal’, melloid and other malleable bronze alloys. She married in about 1926 and we do not know if she continued to work for her father afterwards. The firm was still in business in the 1950 but by then had changed hands.

30 Comments

Eric Flack

2/8/2019 10:50:04 pm

My grandfather was managing director of Bulls Metal. Mr Bull died in 1912. Mr Dunlop worked for the Hong Kong Power co. Mr & Mrs Dunlop plus two children were interned in the Stanley camp by the Japanese All survived/ Suffering badly from malnutrition on repatriation to Britain I meet them when they stayed in Drumchapel. Mr Dunlop secured a job in British Columbia and they moved to Canada. Any more info contact me

Dawn Bonfield

31/8/2019 04:01:12 pm

Thank you Mr Flack. Do you know the birth or death dates of Miss Bull at all please, as we don't seem to have these. Or any other details?
Many thanks.
Dawn

31/8/2019 05:54:12 pm

I can supply any information that you require. Mrs Dunlop is listed in the Stanley Camp list as a university lecturer.

31/8/2019 06:19:01 pm

Edith Frida Bull (nee Dunlop)
Date of birth 28th April 1900 at Erith Kent England.
Date of death April 14th 1986 at home Cowchin Lodge Duncan British Columbia Canada. Occupation: Housewife Informant Gillian Reid daughter. Any other information just email me

Jennifer Reid

28/10/2019 09:42:37 pm

I am the granddaughter of Frida Dunlop (Bull) and currently travelling with my brother Robert Reid through England (Oct 22-Nov 1, 2019) and Scotland (Nov 1-10, 2019). We will be in Glasgow starting Nov 1 should you want more of the family history of the Dunlops.

Our mother Gillian Frida Reid (Dunlop) and her brother Robert McLean Dunlop were both born in HongKong however they shipped back to England before the war broke out and our grandparents were in POW - Stanley (Frida) and Sham Shiu (Robert)

We just visited the Hilfield Friary in Dorset where our Uncle Robert lived and died.

Feel free to email me should you want to meet while we are on our journey.

Thanks Jennifer

Eric Flack link

28/10/2019 11:00:58 pm

Hi Jennifer. If we could meet up that would be great. My email: ericflack@openworld.com . Phone 0141 944 1715 or MoB; 07770 414 095. You can see me on Drumchapel Tennis website or facebook
Regards
Eric Flack

Dr NIna Baker

31/10/2019 04:57:17 pm

Jennifer,
I researched and wrote the original entry. I live in Glasgow and would be really delighted if you wished to meet up whilst you are here. I emailed Eric Flack but have not had a reply yet.

Nina Baker

31/10/2019 11:19:09 pm

Hi Nina,
We will be Glasgow Nov 1-4, please email me at Jennifer@jareid.com and we will arrange a time to meet up.
We would like to share a photo of our grandmother for your post.
Best,
Jen

Jan Whitehead

30/4/2020 09:32:17 pm

Hi Jennifer, we were friends with Frida and Bob in their last year's in Cowichan Bay. I visited them at least twice a week. They were incredible and amazing people. They passed on to us negatives and contact prints from 1946 on which we kept but didn't know what to do with them.
We live in Duncan and if you would like to get in touch with us to talk about them we would find it exciting.

30/4/2020 11:55:15 pm

Hello Jan,
What a lovely surprise to hear from folks our Mother and Grandparents spoke of. I believe your husband's name is Warrick, I hope I got that right? We would love to see the photos and prints of 1946; at some point we will bring our grandparents Frida and Robert Dunlop's story alive as we have all their POW journals and photos. This has always been a dream of mine though to tell their story not just Hong Kong and POW but their very interesting lives.

My brother Rob Reid lives in Cobble Hill, I'm in Vancouver. Please feel free to email me direct with your details and Rob can meet up with you in the Duncan area and hear your stories of visits with our grandparents. Mom (Gillian) passed on in 2018 which took us on a visit to England and Scotland and the archives of the Glasgow University to see our grandparents transcripts (thank you Nina) and learn more about family and a welcome visit with Eric who is also on this thread.

I can be reached at jennifer@jareid.com
So lovely of you to think about us and our grandparents and I hope post COVID-19 we might meet. All the best, Jen

1/5/2020 07:06:34 pm

Dear Jan (and Jen),
What a delight that my original and utterly incomplete note about Frida has brought forth these contacts from her friends and family. I have learned so much from Jen and Eric in particular and am thrilled that you have made contact with them about Frida.
regards
Nina

1/5/2020 08:19:54 pm

Hi Jen, Did Rob show you the newspaper cuttings etc I found regarding Bob Dunlop's father. A real "character". He was a Glasgow Corporation Baillie. Resign to continue as a "family" doctor in the East End of Glasgow. He visited Russia as a guest of Stalin in 1937 where he personally visited the Mossoviet, Moscow's local authority, and also attended the Soviet itself. Was awarded an OBE while serving in World War 2 as the Medical Officer of Glasgow, Civil Defence Services. I found him on a Glasgow Civil Defence film from 1942. I also sent Rob pictures of the carved ivory piece donated by Edith & Bob to Glasgow Museums. I eventually got to see the very impressive carved ivory balls and stand.

John anton-smith

2/8/2020 10:50:54 am

My father Raymond Smith was. Colleague of your grandfather in the Hong Kong Electric Co .i have known the name R P Dunlop all my life
I am very interested in your search for your grandparents as my parents held them in high regard,though I have No memory of Frida .
My interest in contacting you ,is that I have a photo of a boy and a girl slightly older than myself whose names I do no know .is the girl your mother ?
Can I send you a photo by email
May I recommend a website called GWULO about the history of HK .enter r p Dunlop in the search box ,top right
Also the book AMountain of light By Austin Coates available to
Buy at a high price second hand
Your grandfather has 17 entries
Hope to hear from you
John

Jennifer Reid (granddaughter of Dunlops)

2/8/2020 02:44:18 pm

Hello John,
Thanks for reaching out. If you would like to send the photo with hope we can help you determine who the people are, send to jennifer@jareid.com. We have many photos of Hong Kong and likely a few of your father Raymond Smith.
Interesting photos of HongKong, the Peak and Stewart Terrace. There are many more in photo albums. Interesting times and now think of the Hong Kong situation!
Yes, I have a signed copy of A Mountain of light By Austin Coates and it has helped piece together parts of our grandparents lives.
Rob (my brother) and myself look forward to hearing from you.
All the best, Jen

Rob Reid

2/8/2020 05:02:08 pm

Hello John ,

Well , Here I sit an ocean away from Hong Kong in British Columbia with as many questions as you probably have . Feel free to contact me at my email at reidrs@shaw.ca I would be happy to learn more from you ,as well as give you any info that might help you . I suspect the picture you have is our mother Jill and our uncle Robert .Please send the picture I would be interested in seeing it .
Be well and take care ,
Rob

3/8/2020 08:56:56 am

John, Bob, Eric and Jennifer,
I am so pleased that you have all now made contact. This has been far and away the most active of all these blogs about women engineers of the past. Truly, there is always more to know.
As always, please let me know if there is anything about Frida herself to add to what you passed to me before.
It was lovely to meet Bob, Eric and Jennifer last year. What a fascinating family history.
Nina

Jennifer

9/4/2022 04:42:20 am

Nina, I was reading up on your article and glad to see you still writing about Women Engineers!
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-35414177

Eric kindly sent me the Eat My Dust publication and great to see E.F.Bull mentioned
https://muse.jhu.edu/book/60154

Hope you are well
Jen

Eric Millward Flack link

2/8/2020 01:18:37 pm

I will pass this on to Jil and Rob Reid. If they do not reply They live in British Columbia. I live in Glasgow Scotland. R. P Dunlop's father was a Doctor in Glasgow. He was a "Red Clydesider". In WW1. Became a Baillie in Glasgow Corporation. Visited Moscow in 1937 at the invitation of Stalin. Was Glasgow Civil Defence Medical Officer in WW2. Quite a character! Even got an honour from the Royal Family! Frida was quite a character. Did you know of their journey home in 1930s when there boat was shipwrecked?

2/8/2020 02:45:21 pm

Thank you Eric, always keeping the history alive! Much appreciated and we hope you are well
Jen

Jane Robinson

11/1/2022 07:12:45 pm

Hello I am the great granddaughter of Johannes Bull and Edith Flack. My grandmother Helga was Edith Frida Bull's sister.
I have recently inherited a few belongings of Johannes and Edith and am keen to find out more about them, especially Edith's family.

9/4/2022 08:30:40 am

Hi, My Grandfather Sydney Eric Flack was the youngest brother of Edith Mary Flack. I have some bits of family history if you are interested. I am in Glasgow Scotland and met up with Jen Reid in Glasgow in Nov 2019 Sydney Eric Flack ran Bulls Metal when Mr Bull died in 1912.I have around 110 pages re Ivor Bull Helgas brothers Australian Army WW1 records. A "Lone Pine " ANZAC,Feel free to contact me at my email address. or see me on Google: Eric Flack Glasgow and/or Tennis or facebook

9/4/2022 08:49:36 am

Bye the way Edith Mary Flack was a Victorian artist who was sponsored by Queen Victoria. I have newspaper cuttings in this. She has a painting in the Royal collection. I have her final year art school water colours exhibited in South Kensington. I also have a water colour of Bergan Harbour by Mr Bull her husband. I stayed with Harold Bull- Helga's brother at Painton near Torquay in 1962. Knew Harold Bull well.

9/4/2022 09:01:55 pm

My email: ericflack@BTopenworld.com

9/4/2022 04:34:55 am

Hello Jane, I'm the granddaughter of Frida Dunlop (Bull) and though I have photos of the family, I believe the person who will have the details you are looking for is Erik Flack. I will email him and ask him to reply to your post.

12/4/2022 02:46:21 pm

Thankyou Jennifer, I have now emailed Eric and look forward to finding out some more about our ancestors. They are turning out to be a very interesting family that I knew very little about. I have some of Edith Flack/Bull's paintings and am recently touch with Kris Powley,daughter of Ivor Bull.

12/4/2022 08:16:07 pm

Note my email via Drumchapel Lawn tennis club or Blairdardie & Old Drumchapel Community Council or: ericflack@BTopenworld.com

Bayu link

22/6/2022 01:19:33 pm

ye the way Edith Mary Flack was a Victorian artist who was sponsored by Queen Victoria. I have newspaper cuttings in this. She has a painting in the Royal collection.

andi link

29/6/2022 03:54:45 am

thanks for the useful information

Ilmu Forensik link

30/5/2023 10:29:30 am

What was Miss Bull's initial exposure to engineering, and where did she gain her first practical experience in the field? How did her education in metallurgy contribute to her potential work at her family's firm, Bull's Metal and Melloid Company? What is known about Miss Bull's professional journey after her marriage, and what can be said about the status of Bull's Metal and Melloid Company in later years?

18/6/2023 01:49:58 pm

Re any information re Frida & Bulls Metal could you please email me at: ericflack@BTopenworld.com
or catch me on facebook at Drumchapeltennis or Drumchapeltenmnis.co.uk.

4: Miss e.f. Bull

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