Career
Exploiting German tar distilling technology manufactured a range of products from tar supplied as a by-product of the town gas works. As they expanded they improved their refining to generate larger profits from higher-end products. The business grew into a nationwide operation with several depots.
In 1921 they joined Midland Tar Distillers and in several guises the company was still operating in 1969 when finally taken over by the Burmah Castrol Group.
Major was elected to the town council and as chairman of the Health Committees was the instigator of provision of a clean public water supply and town centre drainage. He served as the twenty-seventh Mayor of Wolverhampton in 1873/74.
