William Fothergill Batho
William Fothergill Batho (1828-1886).
He was the son of Nathaniel Batho and Anne (daughter of Joseph Fothergill, born in Warrington 1808).
1838-1844 served a pupilage at the works of his father, Nathaniel Batho, engineer and tool maker, Manchester. Then, for upwards of a year, he was an Assistant Engineer on the East Lancashire Railway under W. C. E. Cowley, followed by another year at his father's works.[1]. Subsequent career outlined below.
1860 William Fothergill Batho, Engineer, Bordesley Works, Birmingham.[2]. This was the works of Richard and Edward Peyton.
1862 Patent sealed: 'Dated March 13, 1862. Edward Peyton, of Birmingham, manufacturer, and William Fothergill Batho, of the same place, manager, for improvements in the moulds or chills employed in casting corner blocks, dovetail grooves, and other parts of metal bedsteads, and other like articles, in frames for carrying such moulds, and in tubes for the pillars of bedsteads and other like articles.' [3]
1867 Lee Bridge House, Birmingham. [4]
1886 May 16th. Died.
1886 Obituary [5]
WILLIAM FOTHERGILL BATHO was born at Salford on 11th January 1828.
After serving an apprenticeship with his father, an engineer and toolmaker in Manchester, he became an assistant on the East Lancashire Railway.
In 1846 he entered the drawing office of Messrs. Sharp Brothers and Co., Manchester, and subsequently went to Natal as a government surveyor.
On returning to England he was again engaged at Messrs. Sharp's, where he worked out the detail of the double-traversing drilling and grooving machine described in the Institution Proceedings 1856, page 111.
Subsequently he was with Messrs. Beyer Peacock and Co.; and from 1858 to 1862 he was in business on his own account.
He then became manager of Messrs. Peyton and Peyton's tube works, Birmingham; and from 1866 to 1870 was manager of Messrs. Nettlefold and Co.'s screw works, Birmingham, where he devised a nut-shaping machine of which he gave a description to this Institution (Proceedings 1869, page 312).
Throughout this period he also practised as a consulting engineer, and in connection with the late Mr. William Clark devised a steam road-roller, of which he gave a description to the Institution (Proceedings 1870, page 109), and superintended the construction of drainage pumping engines and water-works engines for the municipality of Calcutta.
Subsequently he became managing partner of Sir Josiah Mason's steel-pen works in Birmingham, until 1871, when he established himself in London as a civil and consulting engineer. In this capacity he acted as engineering adviser and agent for the municipality of Calcutta and for the Calcutta Port Trust, besides being regularly consulted by the India Office.
In conjunction with the late Mr. William Clark he acted as consulting engineer to the Oude and Rohilkund Railway, and continued in that capacity after the death of Mr. Clark; and with Mr. Wm. Duff Bruce, vice-chairman of the Calcutta Port Trust, he introduced the hydraulic dredger known by their joint names, which has met with an extended and very successful application.
More recently his name has become widely known in connection with the Batho open-hearth steel-making furnace, which is now in successful operation in many of the works both in this country and on the continent.
After a lengthened illness he died at Bournemouth on 16th May 1886, at the age of fifty-eight.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1860.
1886 Obituary [6]
1886 Obituary [7]
Mr. W. F. BATHO, when died on the 16th May last, at Bournemouth, was, says Engineering, an engineer of very varied and successful practice. His career opened by an apprenticeship with his father, an engineer and toolmaker in Manchester, after which he became an assistant on the East Lancashire Railway under the late Mr. C. E. Cawley. In 1846 he entered the drawing office of Messrs. Sharp Brothers & Co., an appointment which he quitted to go to Natal as a Government surveyor. Then followed a variety of experience in England with his first employer, Mr. Cawley, and with Messrs. Beyer, Peacock & Co.
From 1858 to 1862 Mr. Batho was in business on his own account, which he abandoned to become manager of Messrs. Peyton & Peyton's Tube Works in Birmingham. From 1866 to 1870 he was manager of Messrs. Nettlefold & Co.'s Screw Works. During this time he also practiced as a consulting engineer, and with the late Mr. W. Clark designed and patented a steam road roller, and superintended the construction of drainage pumping-engines, and of waterworks engines, for the municipality of Calcutta.
Afterwards, and until 1871, he was managing partner of Mason's Steel Pen Works, and at the last-named date he established himself in London as a civil and consulting engineer. In this capacity, he acted as engineering adviser and agent for the municipality of Calcutta, and for the Calcutta Port Trust; was, in conjunction with the late Mr. Clark, consulting engineer to the Oude and Rohilcund Railway Company, and was regularly consulted by the India Office.
He was joint patentee with Mr. Bruce, vice-president of the Port Trust of Calcutta, of the Bruce and Batho hydraulic dredger, which has been largely and very successfully introduced; and more recently his name became widely known in the steel industry as the patentee of the Batho open hearth furnace which is now adopted in several steelworks, both in England and on the Continent.
Mr. Batho became a member of the Institute in 1883, and attended most of the subsequent meetings.
1886 Obituary[8]
"THE LATE MR. BATHO.
Mr. W. F. Batho, who died on the 16th May last, at Bournemouth, was an engineer of very varied and successful practice. His career opened by an apprenticeship with his father, an engineer and toolmaker in Manchester, after which he became an assistant on the East Lancashire Railway, under the late Mr. C. E. Cawley.- In 1846, he entered the drawing office of Messrs. Sharp Brothers and Co., an appointment he quitted to go to Natal as a Government surveyor. Then followed a variety of experience in England with his first employer, Mr. Cawley, with Messrs. Beyer, Peacock, and Co., and with Messrs. Sharp Brothers and Co. From 1858 to 1862 Mr. Batho was in business on his own account, which he abandoned to become manager of Messrs. Peyton and Peyton’s Tube Works, in Birmingham ; from 1866 to 1870 he was manager of Messrs. Nettlefold and Co.’s Screw Works. During this time he also practised as a consulting engineer, and, with the late Mr. W. Clark, designed and patented a steam road roller, superintended the construction of drainage pumping engines and of water works engines, for the Municipality of Calcutta. Afterwards, and till 1871, he was managing partner of Joshua Mason’s Steel Pen Works, and at the last-named date he established himself in London as a civil and consulting engineer. In this capacity he acted as engineering adviser and agent for the Municipality of Calcutta and for the Calcutta Port Trust ; was, in conjunction with the late Mr. Clark, consulting engineer to the Oude and Rohilcund Railway Co, and was regularly consulted by the India Office, He was joint patentee with Mr. Bruce,.vice-president of the Port Trust of Calcutta, of the Bruce and Batho hydraulic dredger, which has been largely and very successfully introduced, and more recently his name became widely known in another branch of the profession as the patentee of the Batho open-hearth furnace, which is now in successful working in many of the steel works of this country, and in not a few on the Continent.
We might largely extend this notice did space permit, but we have said enough to indicate the large range of practice with which Mr. Batho’s life was so actively and usefully occupied. We may add that his partner, Mr. J. W. James, carries on the business of the firm."
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Application for I.C.E. membership
- ↑ 1860 Institution of Mechanical Engineers
- ↑ Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, 24 May 1862
- ↑ The Engineer 1867/01/25
- ↑ 1886 Institution of Mechanical Engineers: Obituaries
- ↑ 1886 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries
- ↑ 1886 Iron and Steel Institute: Obituaries
- ↑ Engineering 1886/06/04