Draft:Edward Cruttwell

• Comment: Don’t meet WP:GNG, no sources found which establish notablity. Grabup (talk) 15:22, 7 May 2024 (UTC)

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George Edward Wilson Cruttwell (5 December 1857 - 10 November 1933), known as Edward, was an English civil engineer, and partner to John Wolfe Barry and Henry Marc Brunel.

As resident engineer he was responsible for the construction of Blackfriars Railway Bridge between 1883 and 1886. However, he achieved national prominence as the engineer in charge of the construction of Tower Bridge from its inception in 1886 to its opening on 30 June 1894 by the Prince and Princess of Wales. Cruttwell was credited alongside Wolfe Barry (the Bridge's Chief Engineer) with the work on the Bridge having "proceeded entirely under Mr Barry and his able resident engineer Mr Cruttwell."

Following the opening of Tower Bridge, the Corporation of London "secured the services of Mr E W Cruttwell who so very ably filled the post of resident engineer during the whole period of construction" as the engineer in charge of the now operational Tower Bridge. Shortly afterwards appointed permanent engineer on Tower Bridge, London Bridge and Southwark Bridge by Bridge House Estates, Cruttwell would proceed to undertake other engineering projects of national significance including the widening of London Bridge in 1901; Connel Bridge, the second longest railway bridge in Britain other than the Forth Road Bridge, where again he would act as resident engineer; and Britain's national survey of canals and waterways in 1908-1909 for the Royal Commission on Canals and Waterways.

By 1911, Cruttwell's name as "someone who occupies a high place in the engineering profession" was known more widely around the world with his arrival in Canada warranting a headline in the Canadian press when Cruttwell arrived to design the Second Narrows Bridge in Vancouver.

On the death of Sir John Wolfe Barry in 1918, he became Senior Partner in the firm of Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners, by then long-established as a "world-famous engineering firm". He continued to travel widely for major engineering projects around the world, in 1923 arriving in Sydney to tender for Sydney Harbour Bridge with his arrival heralded as the "famous designer arrives." In 1925 he was appointed consulting engineer to the Imperial War Graves Commission which was responsible for all war graves for troops killed during the First World War.

He was the older brother of art historian and critic Maud Cruttwell.

Early Life

Cruttwell was born on 5 December 1857 to Wilson Clement Cruttwell, a solicitor, and Georgiana Daniel, in Frome, Somerset. He was one of eleven children. Like his brothers, he was educated at Clifton College from 1869 to 1874.

Blackfriars Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge

Having worked for sixteen years for John Wolfe Barry and Henry Marc Brunel, Brunel nominated Cruttwell for membership of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1898, summarising Cruttwell's career to that year:

"[He was educated] at King's College, London (Applied Science Department) from 1874 to 1876...From 1878 to 1894, Cruttwell was employed continuously by Mr (later Sir) John Wolfe Barry and Mr Henry Marc Brunel initially in their office, then in sole charge as resident engineer at Blackfriars Railway Bridge from 1883 to 1886, and then at the Tower Bridge from 1886 to 1984."

When Tower Bridge was opened, Cruttwell was employed by Bridge House Estates as the resident engineer on Tower Bridge, a post for which he was paid £500 per year. He would remain in this role until 1897 when the role of engineer was merged with that of bridge master. At the same time, he was appointed engineer to Southwark and London Bridges which were also managed by Bridge House Estates.

Sole Practice

While retaining the role of consulting engineer to Tower Bridge, a position he held until his death in 1933, Cruttwell went into independent practice at 14 Delahay Street, Westminster, in 1897. He became consulting engineer to the Orange Free State Government.

In 1900, Cruttwell was engaged by Bridge House Estates for the widening of London Bridge from 53ft 5in to 65ft to cope with increased passenger and vehicle traffic. The project was to be achieved without ever closing the bridge. In 1901, he won the first prize of £1,000 for the best design for what would ultimately be called Sydney Harbour Bridge, although his design was not proceeded with for financial, design and political reasons.

Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners

Also in 1901, Sir John Wolfe Barry invited Cruttwell to rejoin his firm but now as Barry's partner. Cruttwell would be responsible for various docks and harbour projects, and bridges including the Connel Bridge and various bridges on the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. With fellow partner, and Wolfe Barry's second son Kenneth Arthur Wolfe Barry, Cruttwell surveyed over 600 miles of canals and waterways for the Royal Commission on Canals and Waterways in 1908 and 1909.

On the death of Sir John Wolfe Barry in 1918, Cruttwell would assume the position of Senior Partner at Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners so leading one of the most prestigious engineering firms.

During the war, Cruttwell was in charge of the contracts departments at the Department of Explosives Supply, and from 1925 was honorary consulting engineer to the Imperial War Graves Commission.

Personal Life

Cruttwell married Gwenydd Erskine, fifth daughter of Captain David Erskine, 92nd Gordon Highlanders, on 21 December 1893 at Bapchild, Kent. Edward and Gwenydd Cruttwell had three sons. Their first son, Clement Henry, was born on 16 July 1896. Their second son, Patrick Erskine, was born on 28 June 1899; and their third, Colin Edward, on 19 March 1901.

Cruttwell died on 10 November 1933 of cerebral thrombosis and artery sclerosis.