John Atkinson (1852-1903)
1903 Obituary [1]
JOHN ATKINSON, born on the 22nd October, 1852, began his engineering career as a pupil of R. E. Johnston, and in 1872 joined the engineering staff of the London and North Western and Great Western Joint Railways.
From 1875 to 1879 he acted as Resident Engineer, under Mr. Johnston, on the Woodside extension of those lines to Birkenhead. He was next engaged for four years, on behalf of the contractors, in charge of the construction of the Pickering and Seamer branch of the North Eastern Railway, and from 1883 to 1887 he carried out the contract for the widening of the Great Western main line from Slough to Taplow.
In 1888 Mr. Atkinson undertook for the concessionaires the charge of the construction of 250 kilometres of the Argentine North Eastern Railway, and in 1892 he entered the service of the Brazil Great Southern Railway Company as Resident Engineer on the Santo Angelo extension of that line. He was subsequently appointed General Manager to the Company, and held that post until his death, which took place on the 7th March, 1903.
Mr. Atkinson was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 10th April, 1877, was subsequently placed among the Associate Members, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 16th November, 1896.