Henry Hakewill (1842-1870)
1871 Obituary [1]
MR. HENRY HAKEWILL was born in Brook Street, Grosvenor Square, on the 11th of April, 1842, and was descended from a family of respectability in the West, of England,
He received his education at Goodenough House, Ealing, and showing at an early age a decided turn for mechanical pursuits, he was allowed to follow the bent of his inclination in choosing the profession of a Civil Engineer.
At, the age of sixteen he was articled to Mr. Thomas Page, M. Inst. C.E., and was engaged on the works of Westminster bridge, after which he superintended the erection of a bridge at Brafferton, Yorkshire, designed by Mr. Page.
From thence he went to Horsens, Denmark, in the employment of Messrs. Brassey and Betts, to assist in the construction of a railway between that place and Viele, which occupied his time for three years, and he was afterwards engaged on the line between Alborg and Randers till the completion of the works.
He returned to England in November, 1869, where he remained until the following April, having in the mean time been elected an Associate of the Institution on the 1st of February, 1870, when he accepted an engagement with Messrs. Waring Brothers to proceed to Thorda, in Hungary, to commence a line of railway. While thus engaged he was attacked with inflammation of the lungs, which threw him on n bed of sickness for six weeks.
After much suffering he reached London with difficulty, and in spite of the best medical skill he sank rapidly and died on the 9th of October, 1870, in the twenty-ninth year of his age, beloved and deeply regretted by a large circle of relations and friends.