Hugh Ebrington Fortescue
Hugh Ebrington Fortescue (c1827-1859)
1860 Obituary [1]
MR. HUGH EBRINGTON FORTESCUE, Son of the late Mr. Matthew Fortescue, who, for many years, filled the office of Chamberlain in the Court of his relative, the Earl Fortescue, Viceroy of Ireland, served his pupilage in Civil Engineering under Mr. G. W. Hemans, (M. Inst. C.E.,) and was afterwards employed by that gentleman on the works of the Midland Great Western Railway in Ireland, as Resident Engineer.
Being possessed of considerable intelligence and of great energy and skill in field-work, he was afterwards engaged by Mr. Hemans in laying out lines of railway in Spain, and subsequently, in Switzerland, over two ranges of the Alps. In the latter country he also acted, for some time, as District Resident Engineer, under the same gentleman, on the line from the Lake of Zurich to Coire.
On leaving Switzerland, he was appointed one of the assistants to Mr. Doyne, (M. Inst. C.E.,) In the Army Works Corps, in the Crimea, and throughout the many difficulties which beset that corps in its practical working, Mr. Fortescue was remarkable for the efficiency and discipline he maintained among the men committed to his charge.
On his return from the Crimea, Mr. Fortescue was employed, with Mr. Bridgeman, (M. Inst. C.E.,) under Mr. Fowler, (M. Inst. C.E.,) in laying out a difficult line of railway in Algeria ; and it was chiefly to his labours in that climate, after his previous hard work in the Crimea, that the failure of his health was attributed, His zeal and energy of mind in duties in which he took an interest, led him to make exert,ions to which his strength was unequal, and in 1859, he fell a victim to consumption, at the early age of thirty-two years. His talents gave great promise for the future, had his life been spared.
He was elected a Member in 1857, but owing to his occupations abroad, he was not able to take any active part in the proceedings, during the short time he was connected with the Institution.