Walter Henry Gaunt

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{{Use British English|date=November 2023}}

File:William Henry Gaunt Grave Letchworth.jpg in 2017]]

Walter Henry Gaunt (born in Bradford, Yorkshire, 13 January 1874 – 31 October 1951){{r|WhoWasWho}} was an English transport engineer who began his working life developing and building gas-powered trams. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School before joining the Ashbury Company in Manchester as an apprentice. The works at Ashbury supplied the trams for Britain's first gas-powered tramway, the Blackpool, St Annes and Lytham tramway, operated by the British Gas Traction Company. Gaunt transferred to the tramway company in 1896, and then became manager of a similar gas-powered scheme at Trafford Park in 1896. Following the financial collapse of the Gas Traction Company in 1898 Gaunt was appointed manager of Trafford Park's gas and electric tramways, a position he held until 1905, when the operation of the electric line was taken over by the corporations of Manchester and Salford.{{sfnp|Gray|1996|p=82|ps=none}}

Gaunt then moved south to manage the world's first garden city, at Letchworth.{{sfnp|Gray|1996|p=82|ps=none}} During the First World War he worked for the Coal Mines Department of the Board of Trade as a distribution superintendent{{r|WhoWasWho}} in charge of coal, gas, and electricity. He subsequently joined J. Lyons & Co. as a transport manager,{{sfnp|Gray|1996|p=82|ps=none}} and eventually rose to become a director of the company. In 1940 Gaunt became transport adviser to the Ministry of Food.{{r|WhoWasWho}}

Gaunt married Kate (née Brooks Kearsley) in 1900. The couple had no children, and she died in 1941. He was a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and a vice-president of the Institute of Transport. He was awarded a C.B.E. in 1938.{{sfnp|Gray|1996|p=82|ps=none}}

Gaunt is buried in Letchworth Cemetery.