Mr. S.C.Bartholomew retired on the 31st December 1933, after completing more than 43 years' service with the post office. With his departure the Department is deprived of the service of a well known expert on power circuit interference, corrosion, and electrolysis. It seems strange to think that Bartholomew was intended for the Mercantile Marine service and to this end was educated at the Navel school at Greenwich. This course was interfered with because of eye trouble and he entered the central telegraph office as a telegraph learner in May, 1890. In the C.T.O he came under the influence of the future Engineer-in-chief, Sir W. Slingo, then in charge of the technical education of the staff. Always an eager student, Bartholomew won the Controller's grand prize for educational successes in 1897 and continued his studies at the Northampton Institute, and later at University College.
In 1900 he joined the engineering Department as a clerk in the old Metropolitan central district whence he passed as a 2nd class engineer to the construction section of the engineer-in-chief's office there to remain until the end of his official career. During this period Bartholomew had among his chiefs the following staff engineers, Messrs. Moiré, Sheridan, Eldrige, Groves, McIlroy, A.W. Martin, Pollock, Sinot, Turner and Ridd. He had to wait long for promotion, not becoming Executive Engineer until 1920 and Assistant Staff Engineer in 1927. During practically the whole of his engineering career Bartholomew has been associated with the problems concerning electrical interference, protection against power circuits and electrolytic damage. In connexion with this work he gained an international reputation, being almost as well known abroad as he is in England.
On the formation of the Comite Consultatif Intetnational des Telephoniques a Grande Distance (C.C.I.F) in 1924. Bartholomew from the beginning took a leading part and he served as Rapporteur on several special committees set up by that organization. There followed the institution of the Commission Mixte International (C.M.I) to investigate technical problem of mutual interest to communication and power engineers. IN 1927 Bartholomew was authorized to draw up the constitution and programme of the research work of this Commission.
Besides being a member of several C.M.I. committees, Bartholomew was appointed president Rapporteur of the committee dealing with the fixing of the amount of noise interference tolerable on international telephone circuits and the standardization of methods of measurement. Later the ambit of the Commission was enlarged to include damage to cables; also to gas and water pipes by electrolysis and chemical Action.
In 1920 Bartholomew became the Post Office representative on a committee set up by the Institution of Electrical Engineers to advise the Electricity commissioners on the regulations for over head power lines. The work of this committee was extended subsequently to cover all the regulations of the Commissioners for securing the safety of the public. In 1925 he became a member of another I.E.E. committee dealing with the International Extra High Tension Conference.
He was also a member of the British Standards Institution committee dealing with overhead power lines. Important proposals were put forward on behalf of Great Britain for the international standardization of factors of safety, etc., for overhead power transmission lines and, as the British representative, Bartholomew attended a conference in New York in 1926. At this conference he also had charge of the British standardization recommendations for telegraph, telephone and radio symbols.
During his visit to America Bartholomew was presented to President Coolidge, he talked with Mr. Hoover, visited and conversed with Edison at his laboratories and got him to pose for a photograph. On the occasion of the meeting of the I.E.E. at Bellagio in 1927, he had the opportunity of meeting Mussolini. In 1933 Bartholomew was appointed a member of a further I.E.E. committee set up at the request of the Electricity Commissioners to advise that body on practical problem connected with overhead power lines.
Bartholomew holds the rare distinction of having been awarded three medals by the Institution of Post Office Electrical Engineers for papers read before the London Centre. He was also awarded the Webber Premium by the Institution of Electrical engineers in 1924 for a paper on " Power Circuit Interference with Telegraphs and Telephones. " An interesting incident in Bartholomew's career was an invitation in 1929 by the Soviet Government (U.S.S.R.) to advise them on the electrolytic dangers associated with electric railways near Moscow and also in the Caucasus, but although the terms offered were attractive the matter was not proceeded with for medical reasons. Bartholomew has been active in I.P.O.E.E. affairs, having served on its council during the rather difficult war years. He was Vice-Chairman of the London Center in 1932-33 and Chairman of the informal meetings of the London Centre during the same period.
During the war he acted as Assistant Company Commander of the Special Constabulary in the City of London set up for duty at Telephone Exchanges, the C.T.O. and the King Edward Building. The duties were concerned with air raid precautions and were not free from difficulty or danger. As he is familiarly known, "Bart" has always been closely associated with sport. Nurtured on the Rugby game at the rectory Field, Black heath, he became Secretary of the C.T.O. Rugby Club and later Vice-Captain. He was a sprinter, winning prizes both in open events and at office sports and notably the Civil service 120 yards championship in 1895. As a Badminton player he will agree that he is nowadays more artful than vigorous.
Bart played chess regularly for the Engineer-in-Chiefs Club and managed to secure a draw against Lasker when the latter, as world champion played 24 simultaneous games with members of the G.P.O. North and Engineer-In-Chief's Chess Club. He has now taken up bowls and is capable of quite a good performance on the "Green". He was awarded the M.B.E in the Birthday Honors 1932 It is almost needles to write of Bart's wit and humor, of his abilities as a raconteur; how he adds spice and sparkle to convivial and also to serious occasion. Those who were present at the crowded gathering in the Deputation room, G.P.O. North, on the 5th January 1934 when a presentation was made to him by Colonel Lee had abundant evidence of these qualities. Because of his genial sympathy and helpfulness he secured many friends who will always hold him in affectionate regard. A.O.G.