Jacob Forrest
Jacob Forrest (1830-1897)
1897 Obituary [1]
JACOB FORREST was born on the 11th May, 1830, at West Rainton, Durham. He served his time as a mechanical engineer on the Stockton and Darlington Railway, and subsequently was engaged under his father in the erection of pumping and other machinery for water and gasworks at various towns in the North of England.
At Maryport he married Jessie, daughter of the late Mr. James Wise, of Wigton and Aspatria, and in May, 1852, proceeded to Spain as agent for Mr. George Mold, the contractor for the Isabel II. Railway, in whose service he remained five years.
From 1857 to 1863 he was engaged in carrying out a contract for a length of 60 miles of the Great Northern Railway of Spain, and in 1865 he returned to England.
Mr. Forrest then became connected with various colliery enterprises in North Wales and in the Midlands.
In 1867 he opened out the Oak Pits Colliery, carried on by a Joint Stock Company, of which he was the Managing Director and Chairman. He also became a Director of the Wedgwood Coal and Iron Co.
In 1882 Mr. Forrest again proceeded to Spain, and eventually settled at Salamanca as Engineer for Pearson and Sons on the Portugal and Madrid Direct Railway. There he was engaged until his death on the 3rd February, 1897.
Mr. Forrest enjoyed a high reputation among the Spaniards for being a man of his word, and was an intimate friend of Senor Sagasta and other ministers, who were always ready to assist his enterprises.
He was elected an Associate on the 13th January, 1874, was subsequently placed anmong the Associate Members, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 10th January, 1882.