Hamilton Patterson
Hamilton Patterson (1870-1938)
1938 Obituary [1]
HAMILTON PATTERSON had an unusually wide experience as a resident engineer in charge of various public works contracts; one of the most important of which to be carried out by him was the construction of the new bridge carrying the Swanage road over the river Frome at Wareham, Dorset. He was born at Mirfield, Yorks, in 1870 and received his technical education from 1887 to 1890 at the Yorkshire College, Leeds. He then entered the Leeds works of the Hunslet Engine Company, Ltd., where he served his apprenticeship until 1895.
After three years' additional experience as an assistant engineer and draughtsman with Messrs. Naylor Bros., Ltd., for whom he was engaged on railway construction, he was appointed resident engineer to the Horsfall Destructor Company, and supervised the installation of destructor plants at Lowestoft, West Hartlepool, and Oldham. In 1901 he joined Messrs. Johnson Bros., for whom he took charge of the construction of main drainage and outfall works at Newport Pagnell and Foleshill, and in 1909 he became resident engineer to Messrs. Bramwell and Harris, and superintended the erection of destructors for Portsmouth Council.
Later he took charge of a contract for the council for the construction of reinforced concrete stores for the docks. After two years' work on similar contracts for Ilford Town Council he joined the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate as an inspector, for the Sheffield and Hull districts, for the production and testing of Constantinesco fire control gear. From 1920 to 1924 he was employed on various contracts for Devon County Council, chiefly in connection with the reconstruction of roads and bridges for the county surveyors. He was then appointed resident engineer, for Messrs. L. G. Mouchel and Partners, Ltd., for the construction of reinforced concrete bridges to the requirements of Dorset County Council.
In 1930 he went to Portsmouth in connection with a lengthy contract for the reconstruction of Camber Dock, after which he returned to Dorset, living at Wareham until his death, which occurred on 10th February 1938. He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1914 and was transferred to Membership in 1932.