William Anderson (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Anderson was director-general of the Royal Ordnance factories.
In 1849 he became a student in the Applied Sciences department at King's College, London, and on leaving became an associate. He next served a pupilage at the works of Sir William Fairbairn
in Manchester, where he remained three years. In 1855 he joined the firm of Courtney, Stephens, & Co., of the Blackhall Place Ironworks, Dublin. There he did much general engineering work. He also designed several cranes, and was the first to adopt the braced web in bent cranes. In 1863 he became president of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland.
In 1864 he joined the firm of Easton & Amos of the Grove, Southwark, and went to live at Erith
, where the firm had decided to erect new works. He became a partner, and eventually head, of the firm which at a later date was styled Easton & Anderson. At Erith he had the chief responsibility in designing and laying out the works. Part of the business of the firm at that time was the construction of pumping machinery. Anderson materially improved the pattern of centrifugal pump devised by John George Appold
. In 1870 he proceeded to Egypt
to erect three sugar mills for the Khedive Ismail, which he had assisted to design. In 1872 he presented to the Institution of Civil Engineers an account of the sugar factory at Aba-el-Wakf (Minutes of Proceedings, 1872–3, xxxv. 37–70), for which he received a Watt medal and a Telford premium. Anderson next turned his attention to gun mountings of the Moncrieff type, and designed several for the British government, which were made at the Erith works. In 1876 he designed twin Moncrieff turret mountings for 40-ton guns for the Russian admiralty, which were made at Erith and proved highly successful. Later he designed similar mountings for 50-ton guns for the same country, and about 1888 he designed the mountings for the battleship HMS Rupert
. About 1878–82 he was occupied with large contracts which his firm had obtained for the waterworks of Antwerp and Seville
. To render the waters of the river Nethe
, which was little better than a sewer, available for drinking purposes, he invented, in conjunction with Sir Frederick Augustus Abel
, a revolving iron purifier, which proved perfectly effectual. He contributed a paper on the Antwerp Waterworks to the Institution of Civil Engineers (Minutes of Proceedings. lxxii. 24–83), for which he received a Telford medal and premium.
About 1888 Anderson was asked by the explosives committee of the War Office
to design the machinery for the manufacture of the new smokeless explosive, cordite
. He had hardly commenced this task when, on 11 August 1889, he was appointed director-general of the ordnance factories. The duties of this post prevented him from continuing his work in relation to the cordite machinery, which was committed to his eldest son. Anderson made many improvements in the details of the management of the arsenal, and introduced greater economy into its administration.
He was elected a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 12 January 1869. In 1886 he was elected a member of council, and in 1896 a vice-president. He was also a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
, of which he was president in 1892 and 1893. In 1889 he was president of section G at the meeting of the British Association at Newcastle, and on that occasion he received the honorary degree of D.C.L. from Durham University
. On 4 June 1891 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
. He was a vice-president of the Society of Arts, a member of the Royal Institution
, of the Iron and Steel Institute, and of other societies. He was also a lieutenant-colonel of the engineer and railway volunteer staff corps. In 1895 he was created C.B., and in 1897 K.C.B.
On 11 November 1856 he married Emma Eliza, daughter of J. R. Brown of Knighton, Radnorshire. He left issue. Anderson contributed numerous papers to scientific institutions, and delivered many lectures on scientific subjects. His Howard Lectures on the Conversion of Heat into Work, delivered before the Society of Arts in 1884 and 1885, were published in 1887 in the Specialist's Series. A second edition appeared in 1889.
Life
He was the fourth son of John Anderson, a member of the firm of Matthews, Anderson, & Co., bankers and merchants of St. Petersburg, by his wife Frances, daughter of Dr. Simpson. He was educated at the St. Petersburg high commercial school, of which he became head. He carried off the silver medal, and although an English subject received the freedom of the city in consideration of his attainments. When he left Russia in 1849 he was proficient in English, Russian, German, and French.In 1849 he became a student in the Applied Sciences department at King's College, London, and on leaving became an associate. He next served a pupilage at the works of Sir William Fairbairn
William Fairbairn
Sir William Fairbairn, 1st Baronet was a Scottish civil engineer, structural engineer and shipbuilder.-Early career:...
in Manchester, where he remained three years. In 1855 he joined the firm of Courtney, Stephens, & Co., of the Blackhall Place Ironworks, Dublin. There he did much general engineering work. He also designed several cranes, and was the first to adopt the braced web in bent cranes. In 1863 he became president of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland.
In 1864 he joined the firm of Easton & Amos of the Grove, Southwark, and went to live at Erith
Erith
Erith is a district of southeast London on the River Thames. Erith's town centre has undergone a series of modernisations since 1961.-Pre-medieval:...
, where the firm had decided to erect new works. He became a partner, and eventually head, of the firm which at a later date was styled Easton & Anderson. At Erith he had the chief responsibility in designing and laying out the works. Part of the business of the firm at that time was the construction of pumping machinery. Anderson materially improved the pattern of centrifugal pump devised by John George Appold
John Appold
John George Appold, FRS was a British fur dyer and engineer. Appold was the son of a fur-skin dyer, established in Finsbury...
. In 1870 he proceeded 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 erect three sugar mills for the Khedive Ismail, which he had assisted to design. In 1872 he presented to the Institution of Civil Engineers an account of the sugar factory at Aba-el-Wakf (Minutes of Proceedings, 1872–3, xxxv. 37–70), for which he received a Watt medal and a Telford premium. Anderson next turned his attention to gun mountings of the Moncrieff type, and designed several for the British government, which were made at the Erith works. In 1876 he designed twin Moncrieff turret mountings for 40-ton guns for the Russian admiralty, which were made at Erith and proved highly successful. Later he designed similar mountings for 50-ton guns for the same country, and about 1888 he designed the mountings for the battleship HMS Rupert
HMS Rupert (1872)
HMS Rupert was a battleship of the Victorian Royal Navy, whose principal weapon was designed to be her ram.-Design:She was similar in design to , but unlike her carried a revolving turret similar to that carried in...
. About 1878–82 he was occupied with large contracts which his firm had obtained for the waterworks of Antwerp and Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
. To render the waters of the river Nethe
Nethe
Nethe is a river of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-See also:*List of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia...
, which was little better than a sewer, available for drinking purposes, he invented, in conjunction with Sir Frederick Augustus Abel
Frederick Augustus Abel
-External links:...
, a revolving iron purifier, which proved perfectly effectual. He contributed a paper on the Antwerp Waterworks to the Institution of Civil Engineers (Minutes of Proceedings. lxxii. 24–83), for which he received a Telford medal and premium.
About 1888 Anderson was asked by the explosives committee of the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
to design the machinery for the manufacture of the new smokeless explosive, cordite
Cordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...
. He had hardly commenced this task when, on 11 August 1889, he was appointed director-general of the ordnance factories. The duties of this post prevented him from continuing his work in relation to the cordite machinery, which was committed to his eldest son. Anderson made many improvements in the details of the management of the arsenal, and introduced greater economy into its administration.
He was elected a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers on 12 January 1869. In 1886 he was elected a member of council, and in 1896 a vice-president. He was also a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
, of which he was president in 1892 and 1893. In 1889 he was president of section G at the meeting of the British Association at Newcastle, and on that occasion he received the honorary degree of D.C.L. from Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. On 4 June 1891 he was elected 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"...
. He was a vice-president of the Society of Arts, a member of the Royal Institution
Royal Institution
The Royal Institution of Great Britain is an organization devoted to scientific education and research, based in London.-Overview:...
, of the Iron and Steel Institute, and of other societies. He was also a lieutenant-colonel of the engineer and railway volunteer staff corps. In 1895 he was created C.B., and in 1897 K.C.B.
On 11 November 1856 he married Emma Eliza, daughter of J. R. Brown of Knighton, Radnorshire. He left issue. Anderson contributed numerous papers to scientific institutions, and delivered many lectures on scientific subjects. His Howard Lectures on the Conversion of Heat into Work, delivered before the Society of Arts in 1884 and 1885, were published in 1887 in the Specialist's Series. A second edition appeared in 1889.