William Evill

William Evill (1821-1908)

1841 William Evill, Junior, became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

1905 Claimed to be the last surviving member of the generation responsible for early railway construction

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1909 Obituary

WILLIAM EVILL died at his residence, 43 Gloucester Gardens, Hyde Park, on the 25th July, 1908, at the advanced age of 87.

Born at Bath in 1821, he was educated at University College School, London, and became a pupil of the late John Braithwaite, by whom he was employed for 6 years on the construction of the Eastern Counties, now the Great Eastern Railway.

Subsequently he entered the office of a firm of patent agents, but his health breaking down, he was obliged to go abroad for a year, and travelled extensively on the Continent.

On his return in 1848 he became a partner in the milling firm of Orlando Jones and Company, of Battersea, and himself designed and erected, and subsequently enlarged, the extensive works of the company, comprising starch, flour and rice mills. Eventually he became head of the business, which he continued to direct until his retirement in 1891.

During his long connection with Battersea, he entered into close association with many local institutions, to which he devoted a great dea1 of time and energy.

In 1878 he was appointed a justice of the peace for Surrey, and in 1889 for the new county of London. He also became a candidate for Parliament for Battersea in the Conservative interest, but ill-health intervening prevented his seeking election. As evidence of his literary tastes mention should be made of his “Journey to Rome and back,” which went through several editions, and especially of his “Rambling Records of a Long and Busy Life,” a mine of entertaining and instructive reminiscences.

Mr. Evill’s connection with The Institution extended over a period of 67 years, and exceeded in length that of any of his fellow members living. Elected a Graduate on the 16th March, 1841, he became an Associate of The Institution on the 5th December, 1865, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 6th May, 1884. In 1844 he was awarded a Walker Premium for his drawings and description of the Eastern Counties Terminus Station at Shoreditch.

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