Person    | Male  Born 6/8/1844  Died 21/10/1896

James Henry Greathead

Categories: Engineering

Countries: South Africa

Railway and tunnelling engineer. Born in Grahamstown, South Africa. Arrived in England in 1859. Studied with and then worked with civil engineer Peter W. Barlow on the Tower Subway tunnel. The travelling shield was invented by Marc Isambard Brunel. Greathead introduced modifications which meant it was generally used in constructing tunnels, in particular the tunnels of London's deep level tube system including the Waterloo and City line. Chief engineer, City and South London Railway.

We have found 3 abandoned tunnelling shields around London: at either end of the Rotherhithe tunnel and in a tunnel at Bank station. Died in London.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
James Henry Greathead

Commemorated ati

Greathead shield at Bank

This 'Greathead' type tunnelling shield ws left at this point 18 metres below...

Read More

James Greathead statue

Note that part of the Greathead shield used in digging the tunnels at Bank St...

Read More

James Greathead - SW13

James Henry Greathead, 1844 - 1896, railway and tunnellng engineer, lived her...

Read More

Other Subjects

Eaton Hodgkinson

Eaton Hodgkinson

Professor of engineering. FRS.  Born Cheshire.  Studied the strength of columns of various materials and pioneered the application of mathematics to structural design.  Late in life his mental abil...

Person, Education, Engineering

1 memorial
British Horological Institute

British Horological Institute

Founded by a small group of clockmakers, whose aim was to unify the British horological industry and trades in the face of large numbers of imports of clocks and watches from abroad.

Group, Engineering

1 memorial
Kingschoole sluice

Kingschoole sluice

"Kingschoole" refers to the passage of the Tyburn river through the grounds of Westminster School.  'Sluice' refers to an artificial water channel controlled at its head by a gate.  And there is in...

Building, Engineering

1 memorial
Sir Thomas Sopwith

Sir Thomas Sopwith

Aviator and aircraft manufacturer. Designed the Sopwith Camel. Aged 10 accidentally killed his father in a shooting accident. Expert ice skater and a legend in the yachting America's Cup. Born 92 C...

Person, Aviation, Engineering, Sport / Games, Transport

1 memorial
Mott, Hay and Anderson

Mott, Hay and Anderson

A civil engineering firm. Began as a partnership with Basil Mott and David Hay. David Anderson became a partner in 1920, on return from the army. In 1989 the company merged with Sir M MacDonald &a...

Group, Engineering

2 memorials

Previously viewed

B. E. Nightingale

B. E. Nightingale

Benjamin Ebenezer Nightingale was born in 1837 in Lambeth, Surrey. He was a son of Benjamin Ebenezer Nightingale (1803-1868) and Margaret Nightingale née Dickinson (1811-1887). On 7 January 1838 he...

Person, Property

2 memorials
Normandy Landings / D-Day

Normandy Landings / D-Day

The landings, also known as Operation Neptune, were the landing operations in Operation Overlord during WW2. The 'D' in D-Day doesn't stand for anything as it was used as a substitute for the actua...

Event, Armed Forces, France, USA

23 memorials
Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley

Born Epworth, Lincolnshire. Renowned Hymn writer. 21 May 1738 experienced his conversion (3 days before his brother's) at John Bray’s home where he was seriously ill in bed. Buried at the old paris...

Person, Music / songs, Religion

8 memorials
H. J. Paull

H. J. Paull

Born Worcester as Henry John Paull. In partnership with Bickerdike 1873-7. His architect son Alan carried on his father's practice. From Manchester Victorian Architects: "... He rarely remained in...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Royal College of General Practitioners

Royal College of General Practitioners

Founded in London. Instituted in November 1952, and granted its Royal Charter in 1972.

Group, Medicine

5 memorials