Chrimes' Biographical dictionary

It may seem more than a little perverse to entitle this web-page "Chrimes" when Volume 1 of this extremely worthy publication was edited by a group of experts headed by the late Professor Skempton, which included Mike Chrimes, and in the case of Volume 2 Mike rightly heads the list. As noted in KPJ's comments on the ODNB Mike is one of the few star performers in the biogaphies relating to engineers, and many, but not all, of the other biographers writing on engineers in the ODNB are sometimes ill-equipped for the task. As steamindex seeks to establish paradigms Chrimes must be included as worthy of this accolade and Chrimes will join Marshall as one of those cited in the biographical sections of this website. This will only be achieved with difficulty, however, as: (1) Chrimes lacks a subject index and locating "railway engineers" will take time; and (2) these magnificent volumes are not included within the miserable collection of material held by Norfolk County Library, in spite of many Norfolk men being listed, notably Cubitt.

Chrimes, Mike and others. Biographical dictionary of civil engineers in Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 2. 1830-1890. London: Thomas Telford, 2008.
Cited as Chrimes. Exclusions noted include Stroudley; D.K. Clark; Ramsbottom; Bury and Sinclair. Zerah Colburn is included, however. There is an interesting and informative overview of the professional development of civil engineering during the period covered. Lists of Patents are included in some entries.
Skempton, A.W. Biographical dictionary of civil engineers in Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1. 1500-1830. London: Thommas Telford, 2002.
Cited as Skempton. Some engineers appear in both volumes and this was probably a strategic error on the part of the committee which organized the work. Portraits are included in both volumes, but do not achieve the reprographic standard set by the ODNB. Major works, both in the physical sense, as in Robert Stephenson's High Level Bridge across the Tyne, and the rarer written contributions, are listed in both volumes.