Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 25 September 1918 | (aged 70)
Nationality | Scottish |
Occupation(s) | engineer, educator |
Henry Dyer (23 August 1848 – 25 September 1918) was a Scottish engineer who contributed much to founding Western-style technical education in Japan and Scottish-Japanese relations.
Early life
Henry Dyer was born on 16 August 1848, in the village of Muirmadkin (now absorbed into the town of Bellshill) in the Parish of Bothwell in what is now known as North Lanarkshire.
Around 1865, the Dyer family moved to Glasgow where Henry was employed at James Aitken and Company's foundry in Cranstonhill. There he served his apprenticeship as a student engineer under Thomas Kennedy and A C Kirk. At the same time, he attended classes at Anderson's College (later to become the University of Strathclyde) together with Yamao Yōzō.
Dyer studied engineering education at
Japan (1873–1882)
Dyer is principally remembered in Japan for his contributions to curriculum development for the
Through an initiative in 1872 led by
The Engineering Institution aimed at creating young Japanese engineers who take responsibility for rapid industrialization. Dyer designed a six year academic curriculum consisting of basic (general and science subjects), professional (technical subjects) and practical courses of two years in duration for six departments. The ICE programme was a revised version of the Royal Indian Engineering College curriculum adapted to Japan's specific scientific and technical needs. To provide practical training, Dyer helped set up the Akabane Engineering Works, the largest in the Empire of Japan. Many of the major engineering works carried out in Japan at the end of the 19th century were by his former students, and Dyer also sent many to Glasgow to complete their education.
When he left the ICE in 1882, Dyer was made Honorary Principal and Emperor Meiji awarded him the Third Class of the Order of the Rising Sun, the highest Japanese honour available to foreigners. He had established a progressive system of engineering education in Tokyo and greatly contributed to the progress Japan made as an industrial power.
Returning from Japan, Henry Dyer brought back various Japanese artifacts and art works, some of which were later donated by his descendants to the Mitchell Library, Glasgow and Edinburgh Central Library. Included in the bequest to Edinburgh Central Library donated by Dyer's daughter Marie Ferguson Dyer, is the painted handscroll Theatres of the East by the Japanese artist Furuyama Moromasa,[4] loose Japanese woodblock prints, bound woodblock printed volumes, bound volumes of paintings, and a collection of nineteenth century Japanese photographs attributed to Franz von Stillfried-Ratenicz.[5]
Scotland (1882–1918)
Henry Dyer went back to
Dyer represented a tireless pro-Japanese lobby within Scotland. He assisted Japanese students, engineers and trainee managers and had a staunch ally in
The University of Strathclyde's Henry Dyer Building, home to the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, was named after him.
In 2015 he was inducted into the Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame.[6]
Family
Married 23 May 1874, Marie Euphemia Aqaurt Ferguson, eldest daughter of Duncan Ferguson of Glasgow at the British Legation in Yokohama, Japan.[7]
Publications
- The Evolution of Industry (1895)
- Dai Nippon: The Britain of the East (1904)
- Japan in World Politics (1909)
- Miyoshi, Nobuhiro, ed. (2006). Collected Writings of Henry Dyer. Tokyo: Edition Synapse. ISBN 978-4-901481-83-0. (in 5 volumes)
See also
- Imperial College of Engineering
- James Alfred Ewing
- William Edward Ayrton
- John Milne
- Mechanical Engineering Heritage (Japan) No.100 in 2020
References
- ^ Izumida, Hideo (2015). "Reconsideration of the Foundation of Engineering Institution". Transactions of Japan's Institute of Architecture: 885–890.
- ^ Stevenson, David & Constable, Thomas (1877). "Appendix: Letter of Japanese College". Memoir of Lewis D. B. Gordon. Edinburgh: T & A Constable. pp. 225–230.
- ^ Dykes, James Oswald (1899). Memorials of Hugh M. Matheson. London: Hodder & Stoughton. pp. 205–206.
- ^ "Early 18th Century Japanese Scroll". Capital Collections. Edinburgh Libraries and Museums and Galleries. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ^ "The people who helped shape Edinburgh Libraries: Henry Dyer". Tales of One City. Edinburgh City Libraries. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ^ "Inductees 2015". Scottish Engineering Hall of Fame. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- ^ "Mail Summary: Married". The Japan Gazette. 5 June 1874.
- ISBN 1-873410-89-1.
- Miyoshi, Nobuhiro, ed. (1999). The Collected Writings of Henry Dyer. ISBN 1-901903-71-0. Archived from the originalon 27 December 2004.
- Miyoshi, Nobuhiro (2004). Henry Dyer: Pioneer of Education in Japan. Leiden: ISBN 1-901903-66-4.
- Hunter, Robin (2017). Henry Dyer, a Scottish Engineer in Japan. Lesley Hart (foreword). Available as an ebook or paperback from Amazon.
External sources
- "Henry Dyer, 1848-1918". Archived from the original on 12 March 2007. - a detailed and informative site.
- "Japan and People". University of Glasgow. Archived from the original on 12 March 2005.
- "Japan and Shipbuilding". University of Glasgow. Archived from the original on 12 March 2005.
- "Glasgow University and Japan". University of Glasgow. Archived from the original on 12 March 2005.
- "Henry Dyer Building". University of Strathclyde.