Thomas Spencer Sawyer
Thomas Spencer Sawyer (1824-1891), Civil Engineer.
1824 July 7th. Baptised in Annan, Dumfries, the son of John Spencer Sawyer and his wife Maria James. John Spencer Sawyer later became the manager of The William Douglas Cotton Mill there, and was twice elected Provost of Annan.
Apprenticed to Fawcett, Preston and Co and won the highest prize for technical drawing in 1843.[1]
1849 Married in Manchester to Maria Tait.
1855 Patent. “John Mason of Rochdale, machinist, Samuel Thornton of the same place and Thomas S. Sawyer of Lonsight, Engineer for improvements in finishing or polishing and drying of yarn threads”.
1858 January 26th. Presented a paper to the Institute of Civil Engineers “On Shearing, Punching, Riveting, and Forging Machinery”.
1858 Early recipient of a “Watt Medal”. It is believed that this was awarded for his paper to the Institute “On the Principal Self-acting and other Tools employed in the Construction of Steam Engines, Boilers etc.
There are later references to his involvement with the Institute through their Letters pages.
He was domiciled in Rochdale by 1858
1861 Living at Manchester Road, Rochdale, a Civil Engineer, age 36, with his wife Maria Sawyer, age 33, and their four children.[2]
1891 Living at 225 Drake Street, Castleton: Thos. S. Sawyer (age 66 born Scotland), a Civil Engineer. With his wife Maria Sawyer (age 63 born Ireland) and their two sons Percy R. Sawyer (age 28 born Rochdale), Civil Engineer and Arnold H. Sawyer (age 26 born Rochdale), Civil Engineer.[3] It is believed that both sons died of consumption within weeks of each other in Orange County, California.
1891 April 28th. Died.