Maurice Fitzmaurice
Encyclopedia
Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice CMG
(11 May 1861–17 November 1924) was an Irish
civil engineer
. He was apprenticed to Benjamin Baker and worked with him on the Forth Railway Bridge before going to Egypt
to build the Aswan Dam
for which he was appointed both a member of the Ottoman
Order of the Mejidiye and a companion of the British
Order of St Michael and St George
. Following this Fitzmaurice was Chief Engineer to the London County Council
and was responsible for the Blackwall
, Rotherhithe
and Woolwich tunnels
. In later life his consultancy advised on docks and harbours across the British Commonwealth as well as the Sennar Dam
in Sudan
and he was recognised with the prestigious honour of the presidency of the Institution of Civil Engineers
for the 1916-17 session.
, Ireland
in 1861. He received an education at Armagh Royal Academy prior to studying civil engineering
at Trinity College, Dublin
from 1878. He graduated in 1882 and was articled (a form of apprenticeship
) to Benjamin Baker where his first project was the construction of the south pier and railway approaches to the Forth Railway Bridge. This work finished in 1888 and he spent the next three years working on the aborted construction of the Chignecto Ship Railway in Canada
.
as a resident engineer where his first project was the Blackwall Tunnel
before being appointed chief resident engineer in 1898 by the Egypt
ian government for the construction of the Aswan Dam
. In recognition of the latter he was made a member of the Ottoman
Order of the Mejidiye (second class) in 1901 and also a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
on December 12, 1902. In 1901 he became the Chief Engineer to the London County Council
and amongst his works for them was the Rotherhithe Tunnel
, Vauxhall Bridge
and the Woolwich foot tunnel
. Upon his retirement from the council in 1912 he received a knighthood.
firm of engineers and worked extensively on docks, including designs for harbours in Australia
, Burma, Malaya
, Singapore
, Ceylon, Nigeria
, Kenya
and the United Kingdom
. From 1922 Fitzmaurice was also an advisor to the Sudan
ese government on irrigation of the Blue Nile
including the plans for the Sennar Dam
, which was built after his death. During this time he was also a member of the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, a voluntary Territorial Army unit providing engineering advice to the British Armed Forces
, holding the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He married Ida Dickinson in 1911 and died at his home in London
on 17 November 1924.
in 1883 as a student member, becoming an associate in 1887 and a full member in 1893. He served on the institution's council from 1905 and was elected president for the 1916-7 session. In 1919 he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society
and was an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers
and the Royal Engineers Institution and an honorary fellow of the Society of Engineers. He received an honorary doctorate of law from the University of Birmingham
in 1909.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(11 May 1861–17 November 1924) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
. He was apprenticed to Benjamin Baker and worked with him on the Forth Railway Bridge before going to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
to build the Aswan Dam
Aswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam situated across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Since the 1950s, the name commonly refers to the High Dam, which is larger and newer than the Aswan Low Dam, which was first completed in 1902...
for which he was appointed both a member of the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Order of the Mejidiye and a companion of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
. Following this Fitzmaurice was Chief Engineer to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
and was responsible for the Blackwall
Blackwall Tunnel
The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in east London, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the London Borough of Greenwich, and part of the A102 road. The northern portal lies just south of the East India Dock Road in Blackwall; the southern...
, Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe Tunnel
The Rotherhithe Tunnel is a road tunnel crossing beneath the River Thames in East London. It connects the Ratcliff district of Limehouse in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets north of the river to Rotherhithe in the London Borough of Southwark south of the river. It is designated as the A101...
and Woolwich tunnels
Woolwich foot tunnel
The Woolwich foot tunnel is a tunnel crossing under the River Thames in East London from Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. The tunnel offers pedestrians an alternative way to cross the river when the Woolwich Ferry service is not operating...
. In later life his consultancy advised on docks and harbours across the British Commonwealth as well as the Sennar Dam
Sennar Dam
The Sennar Dam is a dam on the Blue Nile near the town of Sennar, Sudan. It was built in 1925 by the British engineer, desert explorer and adventurer, Stephen "Roy" Sherlock, under the direction of Weetman Pearson. The dam is 3025 meters long, with a maximum height of 40 meters . It provides...
in Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and he was recognised with the prestigious honour of the presidency of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
for the 1916-17 session.
Early life and apprenticeship
Fitzmaurice was born at Clogher, County KerryCounty Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1861. He received an education at Armagh Royal Academy prior to studying civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
from 1878. He graduated in 1882 and was articled (a form of apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
) to Benjamin Baker where his first project was the construction of the south pier and railway approaches to the Forth Railway Bridge. This work finished in 1888 and he spent the next three years working on the aborted construction of the Chignecto Ship Railway in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
London County Council
Fitzmaurice left Baker in 1892 and joined London County CouncilLondon County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
as a resident engineer where his first project was the Blackwall Tunnel
Blackwall Tunnel
The Blackwall Tunnel is a pair of road tunnels underneath the River Thames in east London, linking the London Borough of Tower Hamlets with the London Borough of Greenwich, and part of the A102 road. The northern portal lies just south of the East India Dock Road in Blackwall; the southern...
before being appointed chief resident engineer in 1898 by the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian government for the construction of the Aswan Dam
Aswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is an embankment dam situated across the Nile River in Aswan, Egypt. Since the 1950s, the name commonly refers to the High Dam, which is larger and newer than the Aswan Low Dam, which was first completed in 1902...
. In recognition of the latter he was made a member of the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Order of the Mejidiye (second class) in 1901 and also a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
on December 12, 1902. In 1901 he became the Chief Engineer to the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
and amongst his works for them was the Rotherhithe Tunnel
Rotherhithe Tunnel
The Rotherhithe Tunnel is a road tunnel crossing beneath the River Thames in East London. It connects the Ratcliff district of Limehouse in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets north of the river to Rotherhithe in the London Borough of Southwark south of the river. It is designated as the A101...
, Vauxhall Bridge
Vauxhall Bridge
Vauxhall Bridge is a Grade II* listed steel and granite deck arch bridge in central London. It crosses the River Thames in a south–east north–west direction between Vauxhall on the south bank and Pimlico on the north bank...
and the Woolwich foot tunnel
Woolwich foot tunnel
The Woolwich foot tunnel is a tunnel crossing under the River Thames in East London from Woolwich in the London Borough of Greenwich to North Woolwich in the London Borough of Newham. The tunnel offers pedestrians an alternative way to cross the river when the Woolwich Ferry service is not operating...
. Upon his retirement from the council in 1912 he received a knighthood.
Later works
From 1912 he was a partner in John Coode'sJohn Coode (engineer)
Sir John Coode , English civil engineer, was born at Bodmin, Cornwall, the son of a solicitor. After considerable experience as an engineer in the west of England he came to London, and from 1844 to 1847 had a consulting practice in Westminster.In the latter year he was appointed resident engineer...
firm of engineers and worked extensively on docks, including designs for harbours in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Burma, Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Ceylon, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. From 1922 Fitzmaurice was also an advisor to the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
ese government on irrigation of the Blue Nile
Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...
including the plans for the Sennar Dam
Sennar Dam
The Sennar Dam is a dam on the Blue Nile near the town of Sennar, Sudan. It was built in 1925 by the British engineer, desert explorer and adventurer, Stephen "Roy" Sherlock, under the direction of Weetman Pearson. The dam is 3025 meters long, with a maximum height of 40 meters . It provides...
, which was built after his death. During this time he was also a member of the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, a voluntary Territorial Army unit providing engineering advice to the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
, holding the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He married Ida Dickinson in 1911 and died at his home in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 17 November 1924.
Professional recognition
Fitzmaurice first became involved with the Institution of Civil EngineersInstitution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
in 1883 as a student member, becoming an associate in 1887 and a full member in 1893. He served on the institution's council from 1905 and was elected president for the 1916-7 session. In 1919 he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
and was an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
and the Royal Engineers Institution and an honorary fellow of the Society of Engineers. He received an honorary doctorate of law from the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
in 1909.