John Staines Atkinson
John Staines Atkinson (1822-1864)
1866 Obituary [1]
MR. JOHN STAINES ATKINSON, born on the 28th of June, 1822, was a son of Mr. John Atkinson, a builder, of London, who afterwards practised as an architect at Norwood.
Young Atkinson acquired, in his father’s office, a knowledge of the quality of materials, and the principles of construction, and was employed on. buildings in progress of erection.
He was afterwards articled to Messrs. Samuda Brothers, in whose works he obtained an extensive experience of Mechanical Engineering ; and he continued in the service of that firm for some years after his apprenticeship had expired, and, among other work under them, he was appointed one of their assistants in constructing the Atmospheric Railways, on the London and Croydon, and the South Devon Lincs.
He was then engaged on other railway works in Wales, in the construction of iron bridges, and of machinery for crushing mineral ores.
During the last three or four years of his life, in conjunction with Mr. J. H. Johnson, he was occupied in the production and improvement of automatic machines for the casting and dressing of printing type.
Mr. Atkinson was elected an Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the year l844, and he died after a short illness on the 11th of April, 1864, being then not quite 42 years of age.
He was remarkably energetic, and very persevering in all that he undertook.