John Lanyon (1839-1900)
1900 Obituary [1]
JOHN LANYON, eldest son of the late Sir Charles Lanyon, was born at Belfast on the 21st April, 1839, and received his education at the Broomsgrova School.
He then served an apprenticeship in his father’s office, and in l860 became a partner in the firm, under the title of Lanyon, Lynn & Lanyon, Civil Engineers and Architects.
On the dissolution of the partnership in the year 1872 Mr. Lanyon continued to carry on the business himself. Amongst other important works designed by him and carried out under his supervision were the Draperstown Railway, the Limavady and Dungiven Railway, the Cavehill and Whitewell Steam Tramway, the Portstewart Steam Tramway, the Ballymena water-supply and sewerage, the Lisburn water-supply, and the sewerage irrigation works for County Antrim Asylum.
He also prepared the parliamentary plans, estimates, etc., for the Ballymoney and Ballycastle Railway, the Belfast, Holywood, and Rangor Railway Extension, the [[Broughshane Railway Redbay Extension, the Killyleagh, Killinchy, and Comher Steam Tramway, the Tyrone Steam Tramways, County Antrim Coast Light Railway, Clandeboye and Helen’s Bay water-supply and sewerage (for the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava), and the Belfast City Central Station and Railways. This latter scheme was one for connecting, by means of tunnels, the three lines having termini in Belfast, the Belfast and Northern Counties, the Great Northern Railway of Ireland, and the Belfast and County Down Railway, the latter section to be brought under the River Lagan.
Mr. Lanyon was highly complimented on this scheme by the Chairman of the Examining Committee of the House of Lords, but the Bill was unfortunately thrown out on a financial point, and on account of Mr. Lanyon’s failing health the matter dropped.
At the time of his death he was engaged on the plans for sewerage works for the town of Lisburn, and for gravitation water-supply for the County Antrim Lunatic Asylum.
Mr. Lanyon was an authority in Ireland on water rights, and the compulsory purchase of lands for water, sewerage, railway, town improvements, and such works, and had a large practice in this connection, both as arbitrator and as witness. For many years he was the official valuator to the Irish Civil Service Building Society, and the National Discount Company of Ireland.
He had also a large practice as an Architect, and acted in that capacity for the Boards of the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway, the Great Northern Railway of Ireland, and the Belfast and County Down Railway ; and amongst other important architectural works he designed and carried out were the Stewart Institution for Imbeciles at Dublin, Blarney Castle, Belfast Castle, the seat of the Earl of Shaftesbury, and County Antrim Lunatic Asylum.
Mr. Lanyon married a daughter of the late Mr. Edward Hyde, of Somerset House, and leaves two daughters. He died at Oratava, Teneriffe, on the 13th February, 1900.
He was elected a Member of the Institution on the 4th February, 1890.