Grace's Guide To British Industrial History

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Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 167,850 pages of information and 247,161 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

Grace's Guide is the leading source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. This web publication contains 147,919 pages of information and 233,587 images on early companies, their products and the people who designed and built them.

William Newton Bakewell

From Graces Guide

William Newton Bakewell (1845-1913)

In connection with the construction of the Forth Bridge, Wilhelm Westhofen wrote: 'The duties of the survey department in connection with the erection of the cantilevers were of the heaviest kind. The work had to be carried out in the most exposed positions and in all weathers. To Mr. W. N. Bakewell belongs the credit of a great achievement, and it is not too much to say that to his courage and decision and promptitude in fixing points, is due the saving of much time and much expenditure.'[1]


1914 Obituary [2]

WILLIAM NEWTON BAKEWELL, born on the 26th October, 1845, died at Keswick on the 3rd November, 1913.

Trained at the Don Engineering Works, Rotherham, he was afterwards engaged on railways in the London district and on various public works in Egypt.

During the erection of the Forth Bridge, he acted as contractor’s engineer for part of the time, and later he was engaged in a similar capacity on the Tower Bridge, the Assuan Dam, the English bridge at Cairo, and irrigation schemes in Asia Minor.

Shortly before his recent retirement, he surveyed harbours at Trebizond and Samsun, on the Black Sea, for Sir John Jackson.

Mr. Bakewell was elected a Member of The Institution on the 15th May, 1888


See Also

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Sources of Information

  1. 'The Forth Bridge' by W. Westhofen, reprinted from 'Engineering', 28 February 1890
  2. 1914 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries