Peter Roe Bedlington
Peter Roe Bedlington (1856-1893)
1893 Obituary [1]
PETER ROE BEDLINGTON, son of Mr. Richard Bedlington, Mining Engineer, of Aberdare, was born at Rhymney, Monmouthshire, on the 18th of April, 1856.
After studying at Swansea Grammar School, he spent three years in the Engineering Department of University College, London. He then from 1875 to 1880 served articles to the Mining and Mechanical Engineers of the Powell-Duffryn Co, obtaining a certificate of competency as a colliery manager under the Coal Mines Regulation Act of 1872.
For a few months in 1880 he acted as Manager of the Middle Duffryn Colliery, but was then obliged by ill health to abandon all work for a time.
Towards the end of the following year Mr. Bedlington went to Spain as Assistant Engineer of the Parcocha Iron Mine, near Bilbao, which post he held until July 1882, when he began to undertake general consulting work in mining and mechanical engineering.
Early in 1883 he reported upon the value of the Arcentales and Sopuerta mining district and of the Parcocha Mine, and in June of the same gear he laid down 2 kilometres of endless-rope and inclined-planes for the Casualidad Iron Mine, near Bilbao, and designed machinery for 1,800 metres of wire-ropeway for mines at Galdames.
In March, 1884, Mr. Bedlington made surveys and estimates for the Triano Ore Company and reported as to the value and possible development of its property. Shortly afterwards he was appointed General Manager and Engineer, in Spain, of the Company.
Being permitted in October, 1885, to practise independently, he reported upon several metalliferous mines and deposits in Biscay, Santander and other provinces of Spain, and during 1887 acted as Consulting Engineer to some lignite mines in Rioja-Alavesa. He also patented and introduced several improvements in endless-rope haulage, wire-ropeways, driving-belts and other machinery and appliances.
In the winter of 1890-91 Mr. Bedlington caught a severe cold which resulted in bronchitis. So serious was this illness that he was compelled to go to the Canary Islands, where he resided for two years.
He then returned to his father’s house at Aberdare, where he died on the 4th of April, 1893.
Mr. Bedlington was full of energy, devoted to the profession and gave every promise of a successful career.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution on the 5th of February, 1889.