John Knight (1850-1899)
John Knight (1850-1899)
1900 Obituary [1]
JOHN KNIGHT, born on the 10th September, 1850, was articled in 1866 to Messrs. Manlove, Alliott and Co., of Nottingham.
He subsequently served a further term of pupilage to the late Mr. William Humber, the author of several well-known works on engineering subjects, with whom he remained as an assistant. During that period he was engaged, among other works, as Resident Engineer on the Joint Aston and Handsworth Outfall Sewer.
Since 1878 Mr. Knight held the posts of Assistant Engineer to the Corporation of Birmingham and Resident Engineer to the Birmingham, Tame and Rea District Drainage Board, under Mr. W. S. Till, and subsequently under Mr. John Price.
In those capacities he superintended the preparation of plans for and the carrying out of works to the value of over £300,000, including the construction of the Cole Valley intercepting sewer, the River Rea improvement, the Glover Street and Morville Street storm-water conduits, the laying out of the Drainage Board's Irrigation Farm and conduit thereto, the re-drainage of Winson Green Asylum, the sanitary arrangements at Saltley Gasworks, the main drains, roads, etc., of the New Hospital, Little Bromwich, the manufacture and laying of wrought and cast-iron mains for water, sewage, and compressed air, and many other works.
He also inspected and reported on cable tramways in Australia, prior to the adoption of that system in Birmingham. He had considerable experience in the working of the Public Health Acts and the Birmingham Consolidation Act, the preparation of information for Local Government Board and other inquiries, at many of which, both for the Corporation and the Drainage Board, he gave evidence.
During the illness of Mr. Till in 1894 and 1895 he was called on to perform that gentleman's duties, both for the Corporation and the Drainage Board, and subsequently he rendered special help in the preparation of the Sewage Farm Extension Scheme, and in the negotiations for the various purchases of land.
On the death of Mr. Till in March, 1898, Mr. Knight was appointed Engineer to the Birmingham, Tame and Rea District Drainage Board, and, in conjunction with Mr. Charles Hawksley, he was engaged at the time of his death in carrying out very extensive additions to the Board's works.
Mr. Knight died at Erdington on the 3rd October, 1899, at the age of 49.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution on the 4th March, 1890.