Charles Neate
Charles Neate (1821-1911)
1912 Obituary [1]
CHARLES NEATE, who died on the 29th May, 1911, in his ninetieth year, was one of the oldest members of The Institution, having been connected with it for 64 years. He was probably best known for the varied and extensive engineering work which he carried out or advised upon in South America, chiefly in Brazil.
Born in October, 1821, he was educated at King's College School and King's College, London, and on the Continent, obtaining his practical training with Messrs. Rendel and Beardmore.
After serving for several years as assistant Resident Engineer on the Great Grimsby Dockworks, he went out to Brazil in 1852 as a Civil Engineer under the Imperial Brazilian Government. In that capacity, he designed and constructed quay-walls and other works at Rio de Janeiro, and reported upon the harbours of Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Sul and on the works of the Dom Pedro II Railway.
Returning to England in 1867, he set up a consulting practice in Westminster, which he continued to carry on up to within a short period of his death. Amongst the works with which he was connected in this capacity may be mentioned the Great Western of Brazil Railway, the Conde d’Eu line, the Donna Thereza Christina Railway and the Southern Brazilian Rio Grande do Sui Railway, Rio de Janeiro Flour-mills and Granaries, Nictheroy Gasworks, and Stockton Bridge, in which last work he was associated with the late Mr. Harrison Hayter, Past-President. He also prepared designs, reports and estimates for a number of schemes in Brazil, Cuba, Demerara, South Africa, Naples, Portugal, Spain and Ireland.
Mr. Neate was elected an Associate of The Institution on the 2nd March, 1847, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 8th March, 1859.