Thomas Elwell (1812-1880)
1812 May 10th. Born.[1]
1860 Thomas Elwell, Varrall, Elwell and Poulet, Engineers and Millwrights, 9 Avenue Trudaine, Paris.[2]
1880 April 3rd. Died.
1881 Obituary [3]
THOMAS ELWELL was born in London on 20th May 1812.
After serving his time as apprentice millwright in the works of Messrs. Rennie, London, he was engaged in 1837 as foreman in the engineering works of Messrs. Sanford and Varrall, Paris, who were at that time beginning business, and introducing into France the machinery suitable for the manufacture of paper.
Mr. Elwell took part in erecting in France the first paper mills worked by machinery; he was afterwards engaged in designing general engineering machinery, such as pumping engines, steam engines, and machine tools became subsequently manager, and ultimately partner, in the firm of Messrs. Varrall Elwell and Middleton, which under his management has been held in high repute by the French Admiralty and War offices, the railways, and mechanical establishments. They obtained a "Grand Prix" at the Paris Exhibition in 1878, when for his long and valued services in France Mr. Elwell received the Cross of "Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur."
He was a Member of the Societe des Ingenieurs Civils, Paris.
He died suddenly in Toulon on 3rd April 1880, in the sixty-eighth year of his age, from an attack of apoplexy.
He became a Member of the Institution in 1860.