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At Last: A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers
The Archives Panel of the Institution of Civil Engineers are about to
publish a Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers of Great Britain and
Ireland - Volume 1: 1500-1830, on 14 March 2002. After more than five years
work by an Editorial Board, chaired by the late Professor Sir Alec Skempton,
there will be a reference work available on civil engineers comparable to
those already well established on Architects (Colvin) and Surveyors
(Bendall), and available in most records offices.
Aside from Skem the Editorial Board comprised Mike Chrimes(ICE LIbrarian),
Dr Ron Cox (Trinity College, Dublin), Peter Cross-Rudkin (University of
Coventry), Dr R W Rennison (Newcastle) and Ted Ruddock MBE (Edinburgh). They
reviewed a list of over 2,000 potential subjects, shortlisted c.300, and
finally have produced a book detailing the careers of c.800 individuals who
carried out civil engineering work or otherwise contributed to the
development of the profession 1500-1830. Aside from the 'dictionary', which
extends over 800 pages there is an introduction to civil engineering in the
period by Professor Skempton, reviewing the main trends, with appendices
discussing prices and salaries; and a 100 page place and project index.
Wherever possible each entry is accompanied by a list of publications and
works, the latter, wherever possible, giving details of project costs.
For the early period biographical entries have been supplemented with
detailed descriptions of the works on the grounds such information is
difficult to trace elsewhere, and biographical data is often scantier. In
some cases it was decided to exclude individuals because little was known
about them, and detail was also lacking on their contribution to associated
works. In some cases, such as the three(?) John Williams who worked in civil
engineering around 1800 it proved impossible to be sure of their respective
identities in the absence of family papers; rather than confusing the reader
it was decided to exclude all three. While the book was being prepared for
the press material continued to be gathered. It has been discovered, for
instance that the Elizabethan engineer John Trew, well known for his work on
the Exeter Canal, was involved with an ironworks at Pontymoile in South
Wales.
It is anticipated, as with successive editions of Colvin, that readers, and
other researchers, will come forward with further information, which will
reveal other figures previously disregarded as insignificant, as well as
amendments to existing data. It is intended such information will be
published in the September issue of the ICE' Panel for Historical
Engineering Works Newsletter. Any suggestions should be sent to
[log in to unmask] Editorial Secretary, Biographical Dictionary of
Civil Engineers, c/o Library, ICE. Work is now underway on a second volume.
Carol Morgan, Archivist, ICE
To order the book details can be found at http://www.t-telford.co.uk/HTML/
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Tel +44 (0)20 7222 7722
Fax +44 (0)20 7222 7500
www.ice.org.uk
www.thomastelford.com
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