Marcel Boschi's Mather & Platt

Sir William Mather

Sir William Loris Mather


Family Tree

Loris Emerson Mather C.B.E.

Born in 1886, Loris Emerson Mather was the son of Sir William Mather, the celebrated industrialist entrepreneur. Like his father, he was held in high esteem for not only his ability in business but also for his compassion as an employer.

He was educated at Harrow School and Cambridge University. Joining the company in 1905, he was appointed to the Board in 1908 and became Chairman in 1916 during the difficult years of World War I whilst he was serving in the Royal Engineers.

He guided Mather & Platt through the turbulent 1920s, through years of depression and through years of plenty. The war years 1939-1945 saw him gear up the company and its workers for the highest level of service in the pursuit of innovation and excellence to support and maximize Britain's war effort.

Roy C. Mather, a grandson of “Cast Iron Colin” and a family contemporary (cousin) of Loris Mather was also very active at this time having been a key figure for several years within the company. He became also an able assistant to James Robinson (qv) in the administration of the General Machinery Department. He was elected to the Board of Directors in 1942.

During 1942, Loris Mather was appointed North-West Production Commissioner by Lyttelton, the then Minister of Production. As a result of his service, he was later awarded a C.B.E. This work was vital to Britain and Loris Mather was astute in relying on the skills of his cousin, Roy Mather and those of Ted Williams (qv Mather & Platt Archives- this site) who was very much his 'right arm'. By this time, he was aged 56 and in all, he served the company for 55 years. For 44 of those years he was the Chairman.

During the years 1950-55, he was also Chairman of the Manchester Group of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and from 1952-56 he was a member of the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors. He was a Vice-president of the Manchester Engineering Council. and a member of the Executive Council for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, being also President of the Manchester and District Group. He served as a Governor of the celebrated Manchester Grammar School and was also Chairman of the Manchester Boy Scouts Association. 1959 Prizegiving - Field Marshall Montgomery presents 'The Mather Prize'. One of his greatest interests was the development of the industrial education system, far in advance of its time, founded by his father in 1873. This system set a pattern for work training schemes in Britain. At Mather & Platt, this was developed into the Works School. His consideration for those who worked for him and the keen interest he took in their activities are facets for which he is fondly remembered by those who worked at Mather & Platt, not only in the United Kingdom but also in factories across the world.


He was also a long-serving Chairman of
S.A. Mather & Platt in France.

Immediately after the death of his father, in 1920, he set about writing a book about his life. As he recalls in the book's preface, "My father could never be persuaded to write his own memoirs. His thoughts were ever more of others than of himself ... it was characteristic of him to leave anything in the nature of self-praise to others." Any biographer of Loris E. Mather might well find it necessary to say the same of the son!

The work was concluded in 1925 and was published by Richard Cobden-Sanderson of London. For collectors, this is a rare volume to find as only a limited number of copies entered circulation, it being - as the writer openly stated - mainly a volume for his close friends and family, especially the grand-children of Sir William Mather. One such copy is illustrated here - dedicated to "Simmons" by L. E. Mather himself.

Throughout his whole career Loris Emerson Mather worked locally, nationally and internationally for the things in which he believed. Above all, he worked for the success of the company and for the well-being of the employees. Two of the many benefits introduced for workers were a non-contributory pension programme and a retirement benefit scheme. Additionally, he oversaw a vigourous Social Club - the spirit of which continues into the modern era. Loris Emerson Mather died in 1976.