Christopher Spriggs
Christopher Spriggs (1828-1877)
1878 Obituary [1]
CHRISTOPHER SPRIGGS was born at Hyde near Manchester on 9th July 1828, and, after being apprenticed to a firm of toolmakers in Manchester, was employed in the works of Messrs. Edmondson and Co. of the same town, studying at the same time in the science classes of the Manchester Mechanics' Institution.
In 1863 he obtained the bronze medal of the Society of Arts for mechanical drawing.
In 1864 he was appointed assistant master of the science classes; and feeling himself at home in teaching engineering subjects, he discontinued his previous employment and devoted all his time to tuition, which he found better suited to his delicate health.
In 1866 he resigned his office of assistant master, and took classes of his own at Preston, Bolton, Bury, and several other towns in the neighbourhood of Manchester. Having himself been a workman, he was specially adapted for instructing workmen, and proved himself a most successful teacher of mechanical drawing, building construction, plane and solid geometry, applied mechanics, &c.
In 1871 he was appointed to the head mastership of the classes with which he had formerly been connected at the Mechanics' Institution, Manchester. Here he had a large number of students, whom he instructed personally in the subjects mentioned above, and latterly also in theoretical mechanics, with very successful results.
His death took place on 26th August 1877, at the age of forty-nine.
He became a Member of the Institution in 1876.