John Henry Briggs (1850-1920)
of Howden.
1920 Obituary [1]
JOHN HENRY BRIGGS was born at Howden, Yorkshire, on 30th December 1850.
He served his apprenticeship with the late Mr. Ralph Peacock, of Goole, going through every department of the works.
He afterwards entered the employment of Messrs. James Simpson, Grosvenor Road, London, carrying out work for them at home and abroad.
In 1874-5 he was engaged upon the Odessa Waterworks, and subsequently on similar work at Malta, Bristol, and Surbiton.
In 1881 he went out for his firm to South Africa to supervise engineering work at the Kimberley Waterworks, and on completion he remained there as consulting engineer to the Waterworks Company.
On his return to England he became works manager for Messrs. James Simpson, retaining that position until 1896, having completed twenty-five years' service with the firm.
He was then appointed works manager for Messrs. Babcock and Wilcox, and organized the removal of the workshops from Kilbowie to their present site at Renfrew. He retired from business in 1901.
His death took place at Howden on 23rd January 1920, at the age of sixty-nine.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1881.