Vivian Dering Majendie
Encyclopedia
Colonel Sir Vivian Dering Majendie KCB
, CB, RA
(1836 – 1898) was one of the first bomb disposal
experts and Chief Inspector of Explosives to Queen Victoria
from 1871 until his death in 1898.
, Vivian Majendie was educated at Leamington College before joining the Royal Artillery
in 1854. Promoted to Second Lieutenant on 23 October 1854, he saw action during the Crimean War
and the Indian Mutiny
. From 1861 to 1871 Majendie served as Captain Instructor and Assistant Superintendent at the Royal Arsenal
at Woolwich
. In 1871 he was appointed Chief Inspector of Explosives, a position he held until his death in 1898. He was the President of the Association of Mining Engineers and was one of the first bomb disposal
experts.
As a Major
in the Royal Artillery
Majendie investigated an explosion on 2 October 1874 in the Regent's Canal
when the barge
'Tilbury', carrying six barrels of petroleum and five tons of gunpowder blew up, killing the crew and destroying Macclesfield Bridge and cages at nearby London Zoo
. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1875 for framing a Bill
which became 'The Explosives Act, 1875', and KCB
in 1895. His advice during the Fenian dynamite campaign
of 1881-85 was officially recognised as having contributed to the saving of lives. After Victoria Station was bombed on 26 February 1884 he defused a bomb with a clockwork
mechanism which might have gone off at any moment.
In October 1886 Majendie visited the United States to observe the petroleum
industry there and to examine the regulations regarding storage and distribution of that product. A caricature
of Majendie by Leslie Ward
('Spy') appeared in Vanity Fair
on 23 April 1892. His publications included Up Among the Pandies (1859), Ammunition. A Descriptive Treatise on the Different Projectiles, Charges, Fuses, Rockets, &c. (1867), The Arms and Ammunition of the British Service (1868), and The Official Guide to the Explosives Act (1877).
Majendie married Adelaide Frances Grylls (1841 - 1866) and had two children, a daughter and Captain Henry Grylls Majendie (1865-1900) who was killed during the Boer War
while serving with the Rifle Brigade.
Vivian Dering Majendie died of heart failure in 1898 while visiting his sister in Oxford
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CB, RA
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
(1836 – 1898) was one of the first bomb disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
experts and Chief Inspector of Explosives to Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
from 1871 until his death in 1898.
Biography
The son of Major John Routledge Majendie (1801-1850) and his wife Harriet Mary Dering (1806-), and the grandson of Henry Majendie, the Bishop of BangorBishop of Bangor
The Bishop of Bangor is the Ordinary of the Church in Wales Diocese of Bangor.The diocese covers the counties of Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire and a small part of Montgomeryshire...
, Vivian Majendie was educated at Leamington College before joining the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1854. Promoted to Second Lieutenant on 23 October 1854, he saw action during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and the Indian Mutiny
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
. From 1861 to 1871 Majendie served as Captain Instructor and Assistant Superintendent at the Royal Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
at Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
. In 1871 he was appointed Chief Inspector of Explosives, a position he held until his death in 1898. He was the President of the Association of Mining Engineers and was one of the first bomb disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
experts.
As a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
Majendie investigated an explosion on 2 October 1874 in the Regent's Canal
Regent's Canal
Regent's Canal is a canal across an area just north of central London, England. It provides a link from the Paddington arm of the Grand Union Canal, just north-west of Paddington Basin in the west, to the Limehouse Basin and the River Thames in east London....
when the barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
'Tilbury', carrying six barrels of petroleum and five tons of gunpowder blew up, killing the crew and destroying Macclesfield Bridge and cages at nearby London Zoo
London Zoo
London Zoo is the world's oldest scientific zoo. It was opened in London on 27 April 1828, and was originally intended to be used as a collection for scientific study. It was eventually opened to the public in 1847...
. He was appointed a Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1875 for framing a Bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
which became 'The Explosives Act, 1875', and KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1895. His advice during the Fenian dynamite campaign
Fenian dynamite campaign
The Fenian dynamite campaign was a bombing campaign that took place in Great Britain from 1881 to 1885. It was carried out by the Irish Republican Brotherhood , nicknamed the "Fenians", who launched attacks on infrastructure as well as government, military and police...
of 1881-85 was officially recognised as having contributed to the saving of lives. After Victoria Station was bombed on 26 February 1884 he defused a bomb with a clockwork
Clockwork
A clockwork is the inner workings of either a mechanical clock or a device that operates in a similar fashion. Specifically, the term refers to a mechanical device utilizing a complex series of gears....
mechanism which might have gone off at any moment.
In October 1886 Majendie visited the United States to observe the petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry there and to examine the regulations regarding storage and distribution of that product. A caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
of Majendie by Leslie Ward
Leslie Ward
Sir Leslie Matthew Ward , was a British portrait artist and caricaturist who drew or painted numerous portraits which were regularly published by Vanity Fair, under the pseudonyms "Spy" and "Drawl".-Background:...
('Spy') appeared in Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (British magazine)
The second Vanity Fair was a British weekly magazine published from 1868 to 1914.-History:Subtitled "A Weekly Show of Political, Social and Literary Wares", it was founded by Thomas Gibson Bowles, who aimed to expose the contemporary vanities of Victorian society. The first issue appeared in London...
on 23 April 1892. His publications included Up Among the Pandies (1859), Ammunition. A Descriptive Treatise on the Different Projectiles, Charges, Fuses, Rockets, &c. (1867), The Arms and Ammunition of the British Service (1868), and The Official Guide to the Explosives Act (1877).
Majendie married Adelaide Frances Grylls (1841 - 1866) and had two children, a daughter and Captain Henry Grylls Majendie (1865-1900) who was killed during the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
while serving with the Rifle Brigade.
Vivian Dering Majendie died of heart failure in 1898 while visiting his sister in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
External links
- http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TC18980616.2.18&l=mi&e=-------10--1----0--'Death of Colonel Majendie' in the National Library of New ZealandNational Library of New ZealandThe National Library of New Zealand is New Zealand's legal deposit library charged with the obligation to "enrich the cultural and economic life of New Zealand and its interchanges with other nations"...
website] - Photographic print of Majendie in the National Portrait Gallery Collection
- The Majendie Family Crest on My Family Silver website