William Philipson Anningson
William Philipson Anningson (1859-1899)
1900 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM PHILIPSON ANNINGSON was born on the 12t’ll November, 1859, at Thrunscoe, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. He received his professional education in the Engineer’s Office, Grimsby Dock, as a pupil of the late Mr. J. E. Fisher, from 1877 to 1880, and was, for the succeeding twelve years, employed on the staff of the Grimsby Docks and on the eastern section of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, eventually becoming Chief Assistant to Mr. George Cartwright, who succeeded Mr. Fisher as Resident Engineer. During that period he was engaged on, extensions of the dock quays, sheds and warehouses, the renewal of piers and landing stages, and the construction of jetties and coal-drops.
In November, 1892, Mr. Anningson was appointed Assistant Engineer on the staff of the London and India Docks Joint Committee under the late Mr. Robert Carr, who, however, retired, owing to illness, at the end of that year.
Mr. Anningson remained in the Joint Committee’s service till the date of his death, serving for the greater portion of the time under Mr. H. F. Donaldson, and for the past eighteen months under Mr. H. C. Baggallay. He was at first entrusted with duties at the Committee’s Head Office in Leadenhall Street, the nature of which was rendered unusually onerous owing to Mr. Carr’s illness and retirement and the assumption of control by Mr. Donaldson. Mr. Anningson, during this period, displayed considerable tact and gave evidence of the practical soundness of his engineering capabilities.
In May, 1893, he was placed in charge of the Tilbury Docks, where he remained until September, 1894, when he was transferred to the East and West India Docks. The nature of the work required of him at the docks was of considerable variety, including, in addition to ordinary maintenance, such works as the construction of a short new passage with a pair of gates having a clear opening of 60 feet at the East India Dock; a complete installation of refrigeration for the storage of frozen or chilled meat, capable of holding about 100,000 frozen sheep: an installation of electric light and power for a part of the West India Dock; the construction of large covered areas for the storage of teak and other hard woods, and the erection of gantries and travellers for the manipulation of such timber; and the construction and equipment of quay accommodation for premises leased to the Admiralty.
Mr. Anningson both in professional and private life earned the affection of his friends, the goodwill of all with whom he came in contact, the confidence of his superiors and the respect of those under him. He was of a most cheerful and happy temperament, and his loss is felt by a large circle. He met his death under sad circumstances, the cause of which will probably never be known.
He was yachting on the East coast with two friends, and it is surmised that they were run down; his friends and the yacht are still missing, but his body was washed ashore a few miles from Harwich, on the 29th August, 1899.
Mr. Anningson was elected an Associate Member of the Institution on the 1st December, 1885.