Edward Antoine Sacre (1838-1881)
1882 Obituary [1]
. . . In 1853 he was articled to Archibald Sturrock, at that time Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway, and went through the various practical departments of that railway. He soon showed so much quickness and ability, that Mr. Sturrock was induced to employ him frequently in making experiments on the consumption of coal, coke, water, &c., in locomotive engines; also in regard to the general loading of trains, more particularly in the goods and mineral service.
On the termination of his pupilage he was appointed assistant to Mr. Budge, the District Locomotive Superintendent of the Great Northern Railway, at King’s Cross, where he gained such experience that, on the opening of the East Kent, now the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, he was appointed to take charge of the locomotive department of that line.
After a short time he relinquished the position to go to Australia, where he was actively engaged in responsible positions in connection with railway working, amongst others being Locomotive and Traffic Superintendent of the St. Hilda and Brighton Railway.
He was also for some time engineer to a large firm of contractors, and under his control a portion of the Picton and Ballarat, and of other lines was constructed.
Acting upon the advice of his family, after spending seven years in Australia, Mr. Sacre returned to England and joined Mr. H. W. Hunt as partner in the engineering firm of Hunt and Sacre, with which he was connected up to the time of his death, and when he was Deputy Chairman of the Felixstowe Railway and Dock Co. . . .
1882 Obituary [2]
EDWARD ANTOINE SACRE was born in London on 8th October 1838, and after being educated there and in Belgium was articled to Mr. Archibald Sturrock, locomotive superintendent of the Great Northern Railway, by whom be was frequently employed in making experiments as to consumption of fuel and water in locomotives, and also as to the general loading of trains, particularly for goods and mineral traffic.
He next became assistant to Mr. Budge, district locomotive superintendent of the Great Northern Railway at King's Cross; and on the opening of the East Kent Railway, now the London Chatham and Dover, he was appointed to the charge of the locomotive department.
Shortly afterwards he went to Australia, where he became actively engaged in responsible positions in connection with railway working, amongst others as locomotive and traffic superintendent of the St. Kilda and Brighton Railway.
For some time he was contractor's engineer for the construction of a large portion of the Picton and Ballarat Railway and other lines.
After being seven years in Australia he returned to London, and joined Mr. H. W. Hunt as partner in the engineering firm of Hunt and Sacre, in which he continued to the time of his death.
Latterly he was also deputy chairman of the Felixstowe Railway and Dock.
He had a Varied and extensive experience in the design and construction of rolling stock and all kinds of machinery; and had frequently visited the United States and Canada, and most European countries.
He died in London on 26th October 1881, at the age of forty-three, after a lingering illness.
He became a Member of the Institution in 1868.
1881 Obituary [3]
Mr. EDWARD ANTOINE SACRE, who died on the 26th October, was junior partner in the firm of Hunt & Sacre, of 26 Parliament Street, Westminster, and 5 Barge Yard, Bucklesbury.
The deceased carried on business as a consulting engineer, and he was well known, in connection with the iron trade, as the London agent for some of the largest firms, in England, including Messrs. Charles Cammell & Company of Sheffield, Messrs. Fairbairn, Kennedy, & Naylor of Leeds, the Patent Shaft and Axletree Company of Wednesbury, the Yorkshire Engine Company, Sheffield, and Messrs. Thwaites & Carbutt of Bradford.
Deceased, who became a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1873, had been in ill health for a long time previous to his death.