Charles Edwin Brown
Charles Edwin Brown (1856-1900)
1901 Obituary [1]
CHARLES EDWIN BROWN, born in Burnley, Lancashire, on the 4th July, 1856, was the fourth son of the late Dr. Thomas Brown, of Kennington Park, London.
He was articled in June, 1874, to Mr. James B. Walton, of Westminster, with whom he remained as Chief Engineering Assistant until October, 1888. During that time hew as continually engaged in the laying out of railways and in the preparation of Parliamentary and contract surveys, working drawings and estimates. Among other intricate surveys undertaken during that period of his career, he made an entirely new plan of the West London Extension Railway, including all the lines running through Clapham Junction. In addition to that he had the general superintendence of the office, and throughout the whole of his engagement with Mr. Walton, extending over fourteen years, he carried out his duties with the utmost fidelity and zeal.
At the end of 1888 Mr. Brown was engaged under Sir George Bruce, Past-President, and Mr. Robert White, on the preparation of Parliamentary plans, etc., for the conversion of the Glamorganshire Canal, South Wales, into a railway.
In the following April he went out to Venezuela, also for Sir George Bruce and Mr. White, to make surveys for and report on a proposed line of railway to San Cristobal, a length of 30 miles, and also to report on the possibilities of navigation on about 150 miles of the Uribante River, a branch of the Orinoco.
In 1890 he proceeded to Spain, where he was engaged, for Mr. James Livesey, on the preparation of the working drawings for the Santiago, Carril and ........[2]
Charles Brown possessed great physical strength and athletic ability, and was a very prominent supporter of the London Rowing Club and other athletic clubs. For eight years he took an active part in the annual regatta at Henley.
On the 23rd December, 1899, he was seized with a severe attack of Black Water fever, the first serious illness he had had during the whole of his residence on the African West Coast. From that he had scarcely recovered when he was taken again with the same malady; this attack was successfully combated, but before he had time to regain strength, or could be got away from Lagos, he was unfortunately attacked a third time. Thanks to the skill of the medical staff, the excellent nursing in the hospital at Lagos, and his splendid constitution, he pulled through this third bout.
On the 9th February he was placed on board ship bound for England, where he unfortunately succumbed to exhaustion on the 13th February, 1900, at the comparatively early age of forty-four.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution on the 5th February, 1884, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 28th November, 1859.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1901 Institution of Civil Engineers: Obituaries
- ↑ At a guess this refers to the Santiago and Pontevedra Railway