John William Willans (c.1843-1895) was a British

mechanical Mechanical may refer to: Machine * Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement * Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations of ...

and electrical engineer, most known for his role as Chief Engineer of the

Liverpool Overhead Railway The Liverpool Overhead Railway (known locally as the Dockers' Umbrella or Ovee) was an overhead railway in Liverpool which operated along the Liverpool Docks and opened in 1893 with lightweight electric multiple units. The railway had a number ...

Early life

Willans was born in 1844 in

Hunslet Hunslet () is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is southeast of the city centre and has an industrial past. It is situated in the Hunslet and Riverside ward of Leeds City Council and Leeds Central parliamentar ...

, near

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

to Benjamin and Ann Willans. He trained as a locomotive fitter and engineer with the Leeds company of Kitson.

Early career

Around 1865, Willans moved to

Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...

to join the engineering firm of Cochrane, Grove, & Company. He later moved to Hopkins, Gilkes, & Company. In 1872, he received a patent iron ore smelting, along with Stanhope Baynes Smith. He then moved to

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

where he set up as a general engineer and contractor. In April 1871, in Birmingham he married Constance Amelia Smith the daughter of Stanhope Baynes Smith. In 1879, he re-married to Mary Louisa Nicholson.

Electric railways

Willans specialized in electrical engineering, especially for railways. He was the primary contractor for the construction of the Liverpool Overhead Railway, and made a handsome profit from his work. He was later appointed that railway's Chief Engineer. Willans supplied ironwork for the City and Southwark Subway in the late 1880s. He was the primary contractor for the

Great Northern and City Railway The Northern City Line is a commuter railway line in England, which runs from Moorgate station to Finsbury Park in London with services running beyond. It is part of the Great Northern Route services, and operates as the south-eastern branc ...

from Finsbury Park to Moorgate. He received a patent for an electric motor used for that line. He was also a Director of the Guiseley, Yeadon & Rawdon Railway.

Retirement

In 1894, Willans purchased Dolforgan Hall from the executors of James Walton. He moved there with his wife Mary Louisa and son

John Bancroft Willans John Bancroft Willans (1881 - 1957) was an English landowner, historian, photographer and philanthropist Early life Willans was born on 27 May 1881 in Liverpool, the only child of John William Willans - the chief engineer of the Liverpool Overh ...

. He was appointed as a Justice of the Peace for Montgomeryshire. He was selected to stand as the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

candidate for the Montgomery Boroughs constituency in the 1895 election, but died before the vote.

Death

Willans died on 7 March 1895, in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, after a bout of

influenza Influenza, commonly known as "the flu", is an infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms range from mild to severe and often include fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle pain, headache, coughing, and fatigue. These symptoms ...

. His wife inherited Dolforgan Hall, and his son lived there until his death in 1957.

References

1840s births 1895 deaths 19th-century British engineers People from Hunslet Electric railways in the United Kingdom Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates Dolforgan Estate {{UK-engineer-stub