Thomas Ferdinand Walker

Thomas Ferdinand Walker (1838-1921) of Thomas Walker and Son, Ship's Log Manufacturer, and John Walsh Walsh, glass maker.

1838 Born in Digbeth son of Thomas Walker

At Mathew and Sidday, ironfounders, Hill top, Birmingham (1 year)

At Brown Marshalls Carriage Works, Birmingham (1 year)

At Mr Barron's pattern makers (6 months)

At Henry Phillips machinists in Cambridge Street, Birmingham (1 year)

c.1854 Studying in France

1855 Assistant in experiments at the French Exhibition

1863 Married Ellen Eleya Walsh, daughter of John Walsh Walsh (1805-1864), in Birmingham

1864 Patent to Thomas Walker and Thomas Ferdinand Walker, both of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Engineers, for an invention of " improvements in means or apparatus for the utilization of sewage matters, part of which improvements is applicable to raising and forcing other fluids."

c.1864 Acquired a glass business, John Walsh Walsh, that had been previously owned by his father-in-law.

1866 Patent to Thomas Walker and Thomas Ferdinand Walker, both of Oxford-street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Engineers, for the invention of "improvements in apparatus connected with steam boilers for regulating the evaporating power thereof, and to obtain greater safety in their use."

1867 Patent to Thomas Walker and Thomas Ferdinand Walker, both of Oxford-street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Engineers, in respect of the invention of "improvements in apparatus for taking soundings."

1867 Patent to Thomas Walker and Thomas Ferdinand Walker, both of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Engineers, in respect of the invention of "improvements in apparatus for measuring the passage or flow of liquids."

1868 Manager of Thomas Walker business.

1869 Became a partner in the business

1871 Ship log's maker. Became sole proprietor of the business.

1871 Thomas F Walker 32, manufacturer of ship's logs (brass), employing 17 men and 2 boys, lived in Deritend, with Ellen E Walker 29, Thomas S Walker 6, Margaret Walker 5, Philip J Walker 1

1876 Member of I Mech E

1878 Patent to Thomas Ferdinand Walker, of Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, Manufacturer, in respect of the invention of "improvements in apparatus for use in ascertaining the speed of vessels moving in water."

1878 Dissolution of the Partnership between Thomas Ferdinand Walker and Joseph Beverley Fenby, at Andover street, Fazeley street, and Victoria-buildings, Albert-street, Birmingham, as Wood Carvers and Camp Furniture Manufacturers. The business of the late firm was continued by Joseph Beverley Fenby and another, under the style or firm of J. B. Fenby and Co.

1881 Thomas F. Walker 42, glassmaker, employing 60 men, 12 boys and 6 women, lived in Lodge Road (Glass Works), Birmingham, Ellen E. Walker 39, Thomas S. Walker 16

At some point after this he passed the control of the John Walsh Walsh factory to a new manager Lewis John Murray

1891 Thos. F. Walker 52, ship's log maker, lived in Edgbaston with Ellen E Walker 49, Thos S Walker 26, ship's log maker, Philip J Walker 21, glass maker

1911 Thomas Ferdinand Walker 72, employer, nautical instruments, lived in Edgbaston with Ellen Eliza Walker 69 and Philip Jeffery Walker 41, employer in glass making

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1922 Obituary

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER was born in Birmingham in 1838, and was educated at Edgbaston Proprietary School and at the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers in Paris.

Very early in life he joined his father as partner in the business of nautical instrument making, and successfully produced the "Cherub" Log, in which the rotator is in the water and the register placed on the taffrail, this being the modern form of ship's log.

He was a Director, and at one time Chairman of the Birmingham Small Arms Co., Ltd., also a Director of various other engineering enterprises.

He died on the 28th November 1921, in his eighty-fourth year.

He became a Member of this Institution in 1876.

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