Andrew Johnston (1818-1884)
1884 Obituary [1]
ANDREW JOHNSTON was born in Cursitor Street, London, in 1818, and was educated at Grant's, Crouch-end, Highgate.
He served a pupilage, commencing in 1836, under Mr. Christopher Davy, of Furnival's Inn, and then passed two years with Mr. Hythe, architect, of Worthing, and afterwards was engaged by the late Mr. Vignoles, Past-President, Inst. C.E.
In 1845 he was employed by the late Mr. J. U. Rastrick, M. Inst. C.E., to assist Mr. John Underwood on the Parliamentary work of the Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston Railway, and was the Resident Engineer of part of that line between Nottingham and Grantham, including the building of the bridge over the river Trent, until its completion in 1851.
Next for three years (1851-54) he was occupied upon the drainage of Dartford and the present waterworks at Croydon, under Mr. Ranger of the General Board of Health.
For five years (1854-58) he was in practice as a civil engineer at Nottingham, in partnership with his old friend Mr. Underwood, during which time they made the extension of the Nottingham and Grantham line from Colwick into Nottingham, which was part of the Great Northern system, being their main line from London to Nottingham.
In 1858 Mr. Johnston became Assistant-Engineer on the Brighton Railway under Mr. R. Jacomb Hood, M. Inst. C.E., where he remained until July, 1865, when he accepted the post of Principal Assistant-Engineer on the Midland Railway, under the late Mr. J. S. Crossley, M. Inst. C.E., having charge of the whole of the maintenance of the line.
On the resignation of Mr. Crossley in 1875, Mr. Johnston was appointed Engineer to the old lines, a position he retained until the autumn of 1883, when declining health, due largely to his unceasing attention to the Company's interests, necessitated his resignation. The Company granted him a liberal pension, and his brother officers and staff presented him with a handsome service of plate. His friends hoped that he would be long spared to enjoy the fruits of his labours; but his well-earned repose was short, as just six months after his retirement he succumbed to a stroke of paralysis, leaving a wife and large family.
Mr. Johnston was of an extremely retiring and reserved disposition, so that the number of friends enjoying his intimacy were few. Exceptionally well trained, a thoroughly practical engineer, steady and reliable, most conscientious in all his dealings, he was a most valuable assistant and officer.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1875.