title: Oliver Lyle
text: # Oliver Lyle
  
  Sir Oliver Lyle, OBE (1891–1961) was a British sugar technologist during the early 20th century.
  
  ## Early life
  
  Oliver was born in 1891, the year his grandfather, Abram Lyle died, in Weybridge, Surrey to John Lyle, a sugar refiner and ship owner. He grew up in Surrey.
  
  ## Military
  
  During World War I he was an officer in the Highland Light Infantry.
  
  ## Work at Tate and Lyle
  
  Oliver started work at Abram Lyle's sugar factory at Plaistow when he was 21 and did various manual jobs such as boiling sugar in the refinery pans. Later he and his brother, Philip, became joint refinery directors. Philip died in 1955. Oliver was now the sole male survivor of the third generation of sugar Lyles. Oliver Lyle was a meticulous record-keeper, as can be seen in his pocketbook, which he carried around with him for over 30 years.
  
  ## Other activities
  
  Oliver was an investor in Noel Macklin's Invicta Cars.
  
  ## Family
  
  Married Lilian Spicer in Chertsey, Surrey in 1914. The couple had five children, John the eldest son went on to work in the family business.
  
  ## Honours
  
  In 1919, Lyle was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. In the 1954 New Year Honours, he was knighted for services in promoting fuel efficiency.
  
  ## Publications
  
  * The Efficient Use of Steam. H.M. Stationery Office. 1947. ISBN 9780114101305.
  * Technology for sugar refinery workers. Chapman & Hall. 1950.
  * The Plaistow Story. Tate & Lyle. 1960.
  