William Crane Wilkins (1813-1884)
of William Crane Wilkins, lighthouse engineers
1813 Born in Soho son of Robert Thomas Wilkins and his wife Mary[1]
1840 Patent granted to William Crane Wilkins, of Long-acre, in the county of Middlesex, lamp manufacturer, and Matthew Samuel Kendrick, of the same place, lamp manufacturer, for their invention of "certain improvements in lighting, and in lamps"
1841 They restricted their 1840 patent more narrowly in respect of the extent of their claim to exclusive right under the said patent.[2]
1842 William Crane Wilkins of London, 'great experience in the construction of the light apparatus in Light Houses', became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.[3]
1858 Patent on Improvements in lamps[4]
1864 Adjudged bankrupt, of Pinner
1866 Bankruptcy distribution[5]
1871 Lighthouse engineer (unemployed) living in Somers Town, Marylebone, London[6]
1884 Died in Norfolk[7]