lˈɪɾəl ɪz nˈoʊn ɐbˌaʊt hɪz ˈɜːli lˈaɪf, ˈʌðɚ ðɐn ðæt hiː tɹˈeɪnd æz ɐn ˌɛndʒɪnˈɪɹ ænd wʌz lˈɪstᵻd ɪnðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd wˈʌn sˈɛnsəs æz ɐ fˈɪɾɚ.
Little is known about his early life, other than that he trained as an engineer and was listed in the 1901 census as a fitter.