1874-1875: Sir Frederick Joseph Bramwell

Sir Frederick Joseph Bramwell (1818-1903)

11th President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Bramwell was born in London, England in 1818.

In 1834, he was apprenticed to John Hague, a mechanical engineer, and after his apprenticeship had ended, spent some years there as chief draughtsman and manager. He was particularly interested in the vacuum system for distributing power and was so impressed with its potential that he, along with a fellow apprentice, worked out a proposal for a Subterranean Atmospheric Railway between Hyde Park Corner and Bank.

He worked for some time at the Fairfield Railway Carriage Works at Bow and was also involved with the development of the motor car. In 1881, at a meeting of the British Association, he predicted that, by 1931, the steam-engine would only be seen in museums as an interesting relic of a past age, having been superseded by the internal-combustion engine.

He made his name as a scientific witness, testifying in matters connected with engineering or patent litigation. He also acted as an Arbitrator.

Bramwell died in 1903.

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