William Webster
William Webster (1819-1888), public works contractor
1851 William Webster 29, carpenter and joiner, lived in Wyberton, with Mary Webster 66, Catherine Webster 21[1]
1881 William Webster 59, contractor, lived in Lewisham with Ann Webster 54, William Webster 25, Edwin Webster 17, Ann Webster 23, Mary Webster 21, Kate H. Webster 16[2]
1888 Obituary [3]
WILLIAM WEBSTER was born at Wyberton, a small village near Boston, Lincolnshire, in May 1819, and was apprenticed to Mr. Jackson, builder, of Boston.
The day after he was out of his apprenticeship (having never worked as a journeyman), he commenced business on his own account at his native village, and carried out works of a somewhat important character, such as building and restoring churches in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and other counties, the erection of sluices, the construction of the Corn Exchange, the reading-rooms, and the oil-mills at Boston, &c.
He restored, amongst others, the beautiful church of Algakirk, near Boston, the Architect being the late Sir Gilbert Scott, and also assisted in the restoration of the well-known parish church of that town.
In 1856-7, he built the Cambridge Lunatic Asylum at Fulbourne, and on its completion entered into a contract for the erection of the Three Counties Asylnm, near Hitchin.
In 1860 he took up his residence in London, and succeeded in obtaining, among other contracts, those for the formation of the Southern Outfall Sewer, the Crossness, Abbey-mills, and Western pumping stations, together with a considerable portion of the main sewers on the north and south sides of the Thames.
He also built a portion of the Victoria Embankment, the whole of the Albert and Chelsea Embankments, the foundations of St. Thomas's Hospital, and the extension of the embankment of the Houses of Parliament. While these were being carried out, he took many other contracts in London and in the country, amongst others, that for the great scheme of the Metropolitan Sewage and Essex Reclamation Company, and received heavy pecuniary compensation when the works were stopped, the Holborn Viaduct Railway Station and Hotel, the middle level outfall sluice in Norfolk, the waterworks at Hampton, the gasworks at Poplar, the new bridge at Maidstone, &c.
Mr. Webster died at his residence, Wyberton House, Lee, on the 1st of February, 1888, and was interred at St.Margaret's, Lee, in the presence of a large circle of friends, who attended to testify their respect, and to pay a last tribute to his memory.
Mr. Webster was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 1st of December, 1868.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1851 census
- ↑ 1881 census
- ↑ 1888 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries