Rex Wailes

Who was Rex Wailes?

Rex Wailes OBE, FSA, F I Mech E was an English engineer and historian who published widely on aspects of engineering history and industrial archaeology, particularly on windmills and watermills.

Wailes was born at Hadley Wood on 6 March 1901 the son of Reginald and Florence Wailes, his father was a mechanical engineer. He was educated at Oundle School before becoming an engineering apprentice at Robey's of Lincoln. In 1924 following his apprenticeship he joined the family firm of George Wailes & Company.

In 1923, while serving his apprenticeship with Robey, an engineering firm in Lincoln, he was asked by the then president of the Newcomen Society to record windmills in Lincolnshire. At the time English windmills were rapidly falling into disuse and being demolished, and it was felt that some attempt should be made to record this vanishing aspect of the English countryside. In 1929 he was appointed technical advisor to the newly formed Windmill Section of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.