He was born in England on 22 December 1881 in
Cornwall, England. In 1904, he migrated to the United States, and earned a B.S. in
electrical engineering from
Purdue University in 1906, with a thesis titled "Test of New Lighting Plant". His yearbook records this about him: "if genuine English perseverance coupled with absolute honesty can achieve success, Fernly has a bright future." He received the
Charles Goodyear Medal in 1959, one of only two electrical engineers ever to do so (the other being
Adolf Schallamach). He was an executive at the
Farrel Corporation of
Ansonia, Connecticut. He died on 26 May 1963 in
Torquay, England. ==References==