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Dictionary of Scottish Architects (1660 - 1980)
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Basic Biographic Details
Name:
Benjamin Hall Blyth I
Designation :
Architect - Engineer
Date of Birth:
Exact Date
Exact DOB:
14/07/1819
Year of Birth :
Circa Year of Birth :
Date of Birth Before (Year):
Date of Birth After (Year):
DOB (1st 'Or' Year):
DOB (2nd 'Or' Year):
Date of Death:
Exact Date
Exact DOD:
21/08/1866
Year of Death:
Circa Year of Death:
Date of Death Before (Year):
Date of Death After (Year):
DOD (1st 'Or' Year):
DOD (2nd 'Or' Year):
Town of Birth :
Bio Notes :
Benjamin Hall Blyth was born at North Berwick on 14 July 1819, the son of Robert Brittain Blyth, a Birmingham iron merchant and his wife Barbara Cooper. They had Scottish connections and were related to the Peddies through the Coventry family.
Blyth trained as a civil engineer, almost wholly on railway construction with Grainger & Miller. He commenced independent practice in Edinburgh in 1848, soon moving to the 135 George Street office where the practice would remain for over 100 years. He went into partnership with his brother Edward Laurence Ireland Blyth, who had also assisted in the Grainger & Miller office, in 1854, the practice title being B & E Blyth, and they quickly established a reputation as consulting engineers. Work flowed in from the Caledonian, Glasgow & South Western, Scottish Central, Dundee & Perth, Great North of Scotland and Portpatrick railway companies. They had a reputation for efficiency and thoroughness. Benjamin Hall Blyth died from overwork at North Berwick on 21 August 1866 and was buried at Grange Cemetery. He left moveable estate of £56,052 in the United Kingdom and £1,250 in Australia. He was survived by his wife Mary Dudgeon Wright who died on 29 December 1868 and at least seven sons.
Bio Notes continued...
Additional Notes
Addresses
The following private or business addresses are associated with this person:
Business Addresses
Business Addresses2 classic
Address
Class
Date From
Date From Type
Date To
Date To Type
Notes
132 George Street Edinburgh Scotland
Business
1848
Before 1854
135 George Street Edinburgh Scotland
Business
Before 1854
1886
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Employment and Training
The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this person (click on an item to view details):
Employers2 classic
Name
Name Link
Date From
Date To
Position
Notes
B & E Blyth
200435
In year 1854
In year 1866
Partner
Grainger & Miller
201431
c. 1835
Before 1845
Apprentice
row(s) 1 - 2 of 2
Buildings and Designs
This person was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
Buildings and Designs2 classic
Building Name
Date Started
Town, District or Village
Island
City or County
Country
Notes
Glenluce Railway Viaduct
In year 1858
Wigtownshire
Scotland
Railway Bridges
In year 1859
Dalmarnock
Glasgow
Scotland
Attribution
Loch Ken Railway Viaduct
In year 1859
Scotland
Portpatrick Railway Viaduct
In year 1859
Portpatrick
Wigtownshire
Scotland
Bervie Branch Railway Viaduct
In year 1861
Bervie
Kincardineshire
Scotland
Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway
In year 1861
Edinburgh
Scotland
Stranraer bridge over railway
In year 1861
Stranraer
Wigtownshire
Scotland
Stranraer railway station
In year 1861
Stranraer
Wigtownshire
Scotland
Also adjoining workshops
Water of Fleet viaduct
In year 1861
Kirkcudbrightshire
Scotland
Tay Viaduct
In year 1864
Perth
Perthshire
Scotland
Avon Railway Viaduct
In year 1865
Chatelherault
Lanarkshire
Scotland
Edinchip Bridge
c. 1865
Lochearnhead
Perthshire
Scotland
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References
Bibliographic References
The following books contain references to this person:
Bib ref classic
Author
Title
Date
Publisher
Part
Notes
Scotlands People Website
Wills & Testaments
Edinburgh Sheriff Court Wills Sc70/4/106 and Edinburgh Sheriff Court Inventories SC70/1/131
Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A
A History of Scottish Architecture
1996
Bailey, Rebecca M
Scottish architects' papers: a source book
1996
Edinburgh: The Rutland Press
Blyth & Blyth
A history of the firm of Blyth & Blyth, chartered civil engineers, consulting structural engineers ⦠1848-1948
1948
Edinburgh: C J Cousland
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Periodical References
The following periodicals contain references to this person:
Period ref classic
Periodical Name
Publisher
Date Circ
Edition
Notes
Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers
1867
XXVI
pp556-560
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