Alexander Mitchell (engineer)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Mitchell, was an Irish
engineer
who from 1802 was blind
. He is known as the inventor of the screw-pile lighthouse
. He was a native of Dublin, and received his formal education at Belfast Academy where he excelled in mathematics
.
Mitchell was a brickmaker in Belfast
who invented machines used in that trade, and the screw-pile for which he gained some fame. The screw-pile was used for the erection of lighthouse
s and other structures on mudbanks and shifting sands, and employed with great success all over the world from Portland
breakwater to Bombay bridges. It was used for the construction of lighthouses on Maplin Sands
in the Thames Estuary
(the first light application, in 1838), at Morecambe Bay
(the first completed, in 1839), and at Belfast Lough
where his lighthouse was finished in July 1844.
In 1848 he was elected member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
and received the Telford Medal
for a paper on his invention.
In May 1851 he moved to Cobh
to lay the foundation for that lighthouse; the success of these undertakings led to the use of his invention on the breakwater at Portland
, the viaduct and bridges on the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway and the whole system of Indian telegraphs.
He was friendly with astronomer
John Thomas Romney Robinson
, and mathematician
George Boole
. He died at Glen Devis near Belfast on 25 June 1868.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who from 1802 was blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
. He is known as the inventor of the screw-pile lighthouse
Screw-pile lighthouse
A screw-pile lighthouse is a lighthouse which stands on piles that are screwed into sandy or muddy sea or river bottoms. The first screw-pile lighthouse was built by blind Irish engineer Alexander Mitchell...
. He was a native of Dublin, and received his formal education at Belfast Academy where he excelled in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
.
Mitchell was a brickmaker in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
who invented machines used in that trade, and the screw-pile for which he gained some fame. The screw-pile was used for the erection of lighthouse
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
s and other structures on mudbanks and shifting sands, and employed with great success all over the world from Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
breakwater to Bombay bridges. It was used for the construction of lighthouses on Maplin Sands
Maplin Sands
The Maplin Sands are mudflats on the northern bank of the Thames estuary, off Foulness Island, near Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, though they actually lie within the neighbouring borough of Rochford...
in the Thames Estuary
Thames Estuary
The Thames Mouth is the estuary in which the River Thames meets the waters of the North Sea.It is not easy to define the limits of the estuary, although physically the head of Sea Reach, near Canvey Island on the Essex shore is probably the western boundary...
(the first light application, in 1838), at Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay is a large bay in northwest England, nearly due east of the Isle of Man and just to the south of the Lake District National Park. It is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 310 km².-Natural features:The rivers Leven,...
(the first completed, in 1839), and at Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough is a large, natural intertidal sea lough at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays...
where his lighthouse was finished in July 1844.
In 1848 he was elected member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
and received the Telford Medal
Telford Medal
The Telford Medal is the highest prize awarded by the British Institution of Civil Engineers for a paper, or series of papers, in the field of engineering. It was introduced in 1835 following a bequest made by Thomas Telford, the ICE's first president....
for a paper on his invention.
In May 1851 he moved to Cobh
Cobh
Cobh is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Ireland. Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour. Facing the town are Spike Island and Haulbowline Island...
to lay the foundation for that lighthouse; the success of these undertakings led to the use of his invention on the breakwater at Portland
Portland Harbour
Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, off Dorset, on the south coast of England. It is one of the largest man-made harbours in the world. Grid reference: .-History:...
, the viaduct and bridges on the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway and the whole system of Indian telegraphs.
He was friendly with astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
John Thomas Romney Robinson
John Thomas Romney Robinson
Rev. Dr. Thomas Romney Robinson was an Irish astronomer and physicist. He was the longtime director of the Armagh Astronomical Observatory, one of the chief astronomical observatories in the U.K. during the 19th century....
, and mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
George Boole
George Boole
George Boole was an English mathematician and philosopher.As the inventor of Boolean logic—the basis of modern digital computer logic—Boole is regarded in hindsight as a founder of the field of computer science. Boole said,...
. He died at Glen Devis near Belfast on 25 June 1868.
External links
- Profile of Alexander Mitchell, from the Irish Universities Science website
- Belfast's blind engineer, from History Ireland.