Sancton William Wood Bell

[Shona]

This is what it says:

MR. EDWARD BELL was born on the 4th of October, 1812, at
Hackney, where his education was conducted under Dr. Akllen. In
1827 he was articled to Mr. John Hague, M. Inst. C.E., for seven
years, during which time he was employed in the drainage of fens
in Norfolk and Lincolnshire, the Shadwell entrance to the London
Docks, the St. Catherine’s Docks, the drainage and water supply
of the city of Amstedam, the mints at Amsterdam and Rio de
Janeiro, &c.

After the completicm of this service, he had charge
of Mr. Ogle’s steam-coach for common roads.

In 1836 Mr. Bell was engaged by Messrs. Gower and Co., of London,
to make surveys, valuations, and reports upon their property and
establishments in New York, in erecting patent dips and hydraulic stages
for lifting ships, and in inspecting the Erie and Philadelphia
railroads. On his return, in 1837, he obtained, through the agency
of the Messrs. Gower, the appointment of Chief Engineer to H.H.
Mehemet Ali, Pacha of Egypt, for three years, when he was occupied
in altering and completing the graving dock and pumping
machinery in the arsenal of Alexandria; in directing the transport
of steamships and their machinery across the Isthmus of Suez to the
Red Sea; and in superintending various works. In 1840, he returned
to England and commenced practice for himself, at the same time
obtaining the Lectureship on Machinery in connection with Civil
Engineering at the College for Civil Engineers at Putney.

The principal works on which he was engaged were
the Norland Waterworks at Notting Hill; Cwm Avon works,
railway and dock at Port Talbot; waterworks and extension of
gasworks for the town of Llanelly; Llanelly railway and docks
in South Wales; Ton-Nawr railway and mountain inclines in
South Wales; and the Manchester, Leeds, and York railways.

The Lectureship of the College was relinquished in 1815, and
his private practice in 1850, when, at the solicitation of the
Volga Steam Navigation Company, he went to Russia as its supervising
and consulting Engineer. Here he was chiefly engaged
on the improvement of the navigation of the river Volga; in
directing the operations of the Company’s fleet, and in making
surveys and plans for waterworks in the town of Simbirsk.

In 1854 Mr. Bell resigned this appointment, in consequence of the
Crimean war, but did not return to England until 1855, having
been detained in St. Petersburg for nine months as a prisoner on
parole.

On returning to England, his health was found to be so
impaired by the severity of the Russian climate, that, acting
under medical advice, he sailed in October, 1855, for Sydney,
N.S.W.

Immediately on his arrival, in January 1856, he was appointed
City Engineer of Sydney, and subsequently also City Surveyor.
He held these offices for fifteen years, during which time he
carried out extensive drainage works, macadamised all the roads,
designed and built the Exhibition building of 1868, which was
opened by H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, built and started
large waterworks at Botany, and designed and partly erected the
townhall.

In 1871, his health again failing, Mr. Bell retired
from the municipal service, and began to practise on his own
account, at the same time taking a lighter appointment-that of
Besident Engineer to superintend certain works proposed to be
carried out at the north head of the Clarence river, under the
harbours and rivers branch of the Department of Public Works,

On the expiry of it year, continued ill-health again obliged Bell
to resign, and a sea voyage being recommended, he left for England,
where he arrived on the 28th of February, 1874. At first
he seemed to be making rapid progress towards recovery, but in
little more than a year from the date of his return he was seized
with an epileptic fit; and after a short interval of consciousness,
quietly passed away in his sleep on the 5th of May, 1875, in the
sixty-fourth year of his age.

Mr. Bell was elected a Member of the Institution of Civil
Engineers on the 4th of April, 1854.

[Shona]

Don't know how to use the site, I just opened the PDF and copied the text!

Shona that is brilliant .. Many thanks. Now we know he died in England and probably Mary Ann too. I will now see if I can find where he died. Many thanks for the info. He certainly had an interesting career. Julie

[kiterunner]

Sorry, Julie, I'm not sure what you mean - where have you found his (Thomas Bell's) death / burial recorded?

[Shona]

There is a registration for him: Arpil May June quarter 1875, age 63, died in Lewisham.

Thanks again Shona, so his death is registered on the other side of the Thames from where he was born, but only about 8 miles. Amazing to think he'd lived in Egypt, Russia, America, South America and Australia and he ends up back 8 miles or so from where he was born in London.. how amazing.

[Shona]

It is amazing. We start with a name and end up with a whole life story.

[Shona]

Edward was articled with John Hague, M. Inst. C.E., who was based at Cable Street, Wellclose Square.

I found a public tree Kate with Descendants of John Russell and this is what was posted:

4. Anna Maria RUSSELL was christened on 23 Jun 1776 in Holborn, Middlesex, England, St. Andrew and was buried on 26 Nov 1834 in Hackney, Middlesex, England.

Anna married Thomas BELL on 14 Aug 1802 in London, Middlesex, England, St. Pancras.

Thomas was born circa 1777 in England and was buried on 2 Feb 1825 in Westminster, Middlesex, England.

I'm presuming that this information is correct and that the burial register gives his age at death. I am wondering if there may be any other information and where exactly in Westminster he is likely to be buried.
I am surprised that he was buried at Westminster and that she is buried at Hackney unless the Russells have a burial tomb at Hackney and the Bell's at Westminster? Is this likely?

[kiterunner]

I can't see such a burial on FMP.