At the presentation mayor Vojko Obersnel welcomed the paticipants expressing his belief that the book in question, which publication was co-financed by the City of Rijeka with HRK 90,000.00 would open up some new views on the history of our city towards the end of the 19th century and the first decades of the last century.
"Many personalities passed through the rich history of Rijeka leaving their traces and the one who actually bequeathed a lot of his knowledge and capital was Robert Whitehead. The torpedo, as a common project initiated by Whitehead and Ivan Luppis, was the achievement that marked Rijeka in the industrial map of the world. Although the purpose of the torpedo as the invention was not quite noble, the knowledge and technology put in its creation and manufacture, prove that Rijeka at that time reached an enviable level of industrial development," said mayor Obersnel.
Further to author Irvin Lukežić, at the book presentation were also present the second secretary at the embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Chris Frean and the adviser for political and economic issues at the embassy, Tomislav Kaznačić.
The presenters emphasised that the book, divided into two parts, was written very fluently and in an interesting way. The first part of the book presents Whitehead's life, from his birth in the small English town of Bolton until his death, which after decades of life in Rijeka, occurred in England. The book presents the life of the ingenious engineer and his life in Manchester, Milan, Trieste and finally in Rijeka, where his rise commenced. It is interesting to note that he established the factory named initially "Torpedo Fabrik von Robert Whitehead" only after 20 years of life in Rijeka. The second part of the book talks about everything that was left after Whitehead, about the influence of his descendants on the social and political life of Europe and the operation of the factory until the First World War. The book is dedicated to Robert Whitehead and his family, and also to all the workers who put their knowledge and skills in the operation of the factory lasting for 140 years.
The book was published by the Rijeka editor - Izdavački centar Rijeka.
(S.R.)