Lee, Charles Edward 1901 - 1983

(1901-1983), transport historian

Charles Edward Lee was a transport historian, born in 1901. He was elected to membership of the Newcomen Society in 1940 and served on the council and on the publications committee for many years. He was president from 1959-1961 and continued to serve on the council as a past-president until 1976. By profession he was a journalist and was once the editor of 'The Railway Magazine'. He was also later a director of the Tothill Press group of transport industry journals.

Charles wrote many papers for the Newcomen society and he gave the Sixth Dickinson Memorial Lecture, 'Railway Engineering: its Impact on Civilisation' in 1964, this appeared in Vol. 36. He was also a prominent member and President of the Railway Club and the Railway Canal Historical Society. As well as these society activities he was the author of the series of historical booklets on travel in London which were issued by London Transport.

In addition to his transport interests, he was actively associated with St. Pancras Church, where he was churchwarden from 1948-1960 and wrote histories of both the building and the parish. He died at the age of 82 in December 1983.