Arthur Channing Bicknell
Arthur Channing Bicknell ( -1911)
of Sandycroft Foundry, Chester.
1911 Obituary [1]
ARTHUR CHANNING BICKNELL was educated at Rugby School and King's College, London, and served his apprenticeship with Messrs. Caird and Co., shipbuilders, Greenock.
After its completion he remained some years with the firm, superintending the working of the machinery on the new vessels for the Hamburg and America Co., the North German Lloyds, and the Bremen and New York Companies, also several vessels of the P. and 0., Inman and other lines.
On leaving their service he proceeded to Germany to study at the Freiburg School of Mines; he also worked in the Government silver mines.
On returning to England he joined Mr. Frank Taylor (late partner in the firm of John Taylor and Sons, mining engineers, of London) in the joint management of the Sandycroft Foundry and Engine Works Co., Chester, and in that position he remained twelve years until his health broke down.
He then travelled for a number of years in all parts of the world, erecting machinery and reporting upon properties. He made a special study of the deep leads of Victoria, Australia, visiting the mines in the London Valley district, and erecting the largest pumping machinery that had up till then been imported into the Colony.
He next proceeded to New Zealand and assisted in erecting the pumping plant at the Thames Hauraki Gulf Mines, which had been made under his supervision at the Sandycroft Works.
After returning to England he went to Central America, Trinidad, and Venezuela, visiting and reporting upon the various mines.
Subsequently he visited North Queensland, and published a book descriptive of his travels there. On leaving that district he went to Thursday Island in the Torres Straits, and joined the pearl fishing fleet off the coast of New Guinea.
After returning to England he again went abroad, visiting America, Mexico, and Canada, and reporting on various mining properties.
His death took place suddenly at his residence in London on 20th August 1911.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1885.