Josias Jessop
Josias Jessop | |
---|---|
Born | 26 October 1781 |
Died | 30 September 1826 (age 44) |
Nationality | English |
Occupation | Engineer |
Engineering career | |
Discipline | Civil and canal engineer |
Projects | Bristol Harbour Wey and Arun Canal Montgomery Canal (Western Branch) Mansfield and Pinxton Railway Cromford and High Peak Railway |
Josias Jessop (1781–1826) was a
Early life
Jessop was the second son of William and Sarah Jessop, and was presumably born at
The company failed to raise the full capital required to build the line, and so the Jessops revised the plans to cover the 9 miles (14 km) from Croydon to Merstham. The contract for the construction of the line was awarded to the Butterley Company, which was at the time directed by Benjamin Outram, who managed the project himself. Josias was responsible for setting out the line, and its levels were checked by George Leather as the trackwork proceeded. Outram used subcontractors to construct the earthworks. Although the project was not completed until July 1805, Jessop left in February 1804, to work on the construction of the floating harbour at Bristol. He was required to be there full-time, although he was still officially "under the direction of his father".[1]
The scheme was huge, involving the creation of 2 miles (3.2 km) of
Consulting engineer
Now aged 30, and with his abilities as an engineer acknowledged, he became an independent consulting engineer. In 1811 he surveyed the route for a canal linking
In 1813 he surveyed and planned the Western Branch of the
In 1805, Benjamin Outram, the owner of the Butterley Company, died, and the Jessop family moved from Newark to Butterley Hall, so that William Jessop, the younger brother of Josias, could take over as manager of the company. Since 1794 they had manufactured
Jessop was also consulted on harbour works, recommending an extension to the east pier at
His final project was the Cromford and High Peak Railway, which crossed the Pennines to link the Cromford Canal to the Peak Forest Canal. He surveyed the route in 1824, and proposed a 33-mile (53 km) line, which would use a series of steep inclines powered by stationary steam engines to raise the level by 990 feet (300 m) on the Cromford side, and drop it by 250 feet (76 m) to reach Whaley Bridge. An Act was obtained in May 1825 and construction began, with Thomas Woodhouse as the resident engineer. Woodhouse saw the project through to completion in 1831, after Jessop's death in 1826. The summit tunnel includes a stone inscribed 'Josias Jessop Engineer'.[7]
Some idea of the stature of Jessop as an engineer can be gained from events concerning the proposed Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The original bill had been withdrawn from Parliament in 1825, as George Stephenson's survey was flawed, and his ability to present evidence incompetent. George and John Rennie then prepared a new plan, which resulted in an Act of Parliament being obtained in May 1826, after George Rennie and Jessop gave evidence. The two Rennies were asked to become engineers, but stated that while they were prepared to work with Telford or Jessop, they were not prepared to work with Stephenson. Their offer was refused, and Jessop became consulting engineer on 21 June, with Stephenson becoming principal engineer two weeks later.[7] Despite the initial setback, Stephenson went on to complete the project in 1830, and his reputation as an engineer was established.[8]
Jessop died on 30 September 1826, after a short illness. It was attributed to over-exertion while building the Cromford and High Peak Railway.[7]
See also
Bibliography
- Hadfield, Charles (1985). The Canals of the West Midlands. David and Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8644-1.
- Priestley, Joseph (1831). Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals and Railways of Great Britain. Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown & Green.
- Skempton, Sir Alec; et al. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: Vol 1: 1500 to 1830. Thomas Telford. ISBN 0-7277-2939-X.
References
- ^ a b c d Skempton 2002, p. 362
- ^ Skempton 2002, pp. 362, 371
- ^ Priestley 1831, p. 457
- ^ Hadfield 1985, p. 194
- ^ Skempton 2002, pp. 362–363
- ^ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1288554)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 January 2012. Railway Viaduct, Kings Mill Lane
- ^ a b c d Skempton 2002, p. 363
- ^ Skempton 2002, p. 656