David Pidgeon (1833-1900)
1900 Obituary [1]
DANIEL PIDGEON, born at Weymouth in 1833, was educated at Crewkerne Grammar School, and became an articled pupil of Messrs. Barrett, Exall & Andrewes, of Reading.
On the expiration of his articles Mr. Pidgeon was for a time in the office of Mr. Thomas Hawksley, Past President, as a draughtsman, and was subsequently employed by Messrs. Cochrane & Co., of Dudley, until 1862. During that period he was engaged in working out the details and on the erection of Westminster Bridge, and in the extension of the South Eastern Railway to Charing Cross, including the Charing Cross Bridge over the river.
In 1862 Mr. Pidgeon settled at Banbury as junior partner in the works of Mr. (now Sir) Bernhard Samuelson. At that time the firm was engaged in introducing its first successful self-raking reaping machine, and Mr. Pidgeon’s talent for organization was of great use in devising arrangements to meet the rapid increase in the demands on the resources of the firm.
After the Franco- Prussian war there was a large demand for agricultural implements in this country, from which those makers who were best prepared to avail themselves of it derived great benefit. The technical management of the business was in Mr. Pidgeon’s hands for fourteen years, at the expiration of which time he left the firm and practically retired from active work.
Mr. Pidgeon possessed an unusually active mind, and the deep interest he took in the progress of science, as well as in literature and the current topics of the day, fully employed his leisure. A frequent and appreciative visitor to the United States, he recorded his impressions and experiences of that country in two books, which met with a favourable reception on both sides of the Atlantic.
He was a Fellow of the Geological Society and a Member of Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, to the Journals of which he contributed Papers.
During the last few years of his life Mr. Pidgeon suffered from an affection of the heart which made much physical exertion impossible. He died on the 13th March, 1900, at Assuan, Egypt, after a few days' illness.
Mr. Pidgeon was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 7th February, 1871.
1900 Obituary [2]
DANIEL PIDGEON died at Assuan, Egypt, on March 13, 1900, at the age of sixty-seven. He was an articled pupil of Messrs. Barrett, Exall, & Andrews of Reading, and was subsequently employed by Mr. Thomas Hawksley and by Messrs. Cochrane & Co. of Dudley.
In 1862 he settled at Banbury as a junior partner in Sir Bernhard Samuelson's works.
In 1876 he retired from active work.
He was a member of Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, a Fellow of the Geological Society, and an Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He was the author of books describing his experiences in the United States, and of numerous scientific memoirs.
He was elected a member of the Iron and Steel Institute in 1870.