Leonard Wigan
Leonard Wigan (1857-1898)
1899 Obituary [1]
LEONARD WIGAN, born on the 19th May, 1857, received his early education at Christ’s Hospital, and served a pupilage at the South Eastern Railway Company’s Works at Ashford in Kent.
On the completion of his pupilage he spenat s hort time as Assistant to the Borough and Waterworks Engineer at Dover.
He was appointed in 1880 an Assistant Engineer on the construction of the Hull and Barnsley Railway, under William Shelford, which post he held until the opening of the line in 1885.
He then served as contractor’s engineer on the construction of a large storage reservoir for the Borough of Northampton, and on the completion of this was employed until 1892 on some difficult work in connection with the navigation of the River Lark.
From 1892 Mr. Wigan was engaged in municipal work, chiefly relating to electric supply in the cities of Worcester and Bristol until May, 1898, when he was appointed Resident Engineer, under W. H. Bartholomew, on the construction of a length of canal to couple the Aire and Calder Canal with the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Canal.
His charge here lasted until the 9th December, 1898, when he met his death, through the overturning of a steam-crane.
Mr. Wigan enjoyed to the fullest extent the confidence of his employers, and his unassuming manner, coupled with an intimate knowledge of his work, commanded equally the respect of his colleagues and subordinates.
He was elected an Associate Member on the 2nd December, 1884.