Charles Dickinson West
Encyclopedia
Charles Dickinson West was an Anglo-Irish
mechanical engineer and naval architect, who worked for many years at the Imperial College of Engineering
, in Meiji era Japan
.
as the eldest son of the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and graduated with a degree in civil engineering
from Trinity College Dublin in 1869. He worked at Bergenhead Steel Company in Great Britain for five years, followed by positions in other forms where he gained experience in shipbuilding
, steel mill
s and steam power.
In 1882, West was hired by the Meiji government of the Empire of Japan
as a foreign advisor
, to teach steam engine
mechanics, mechanical drawing
, engineering, and mechanical engineering
. He replaced Henry Dyer
at the Kobu Daigakko, the forerunner of the Imperial College of Engineering
of Tokyo Imperial University. He held the position of professor of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, until his death 25 years later.
While in Japan, he assisted the Naval Architectural Department of the Imperial Japanese Navy
. He also served as an advisor to several Japanese shipyards, including Mitsubishi
, Kawasaki
and Osaka Iron Works.
West remained a bachelor all his life. His hobbies included boating and photography, and his large collection of photographs is preserved at the Tokyo University library. Many of his diaries and manuscripts are also preserved, including lecture notes and examination problems given to his students. During his entire stay in Japan, West returned to Europe only once. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
by Emperor Meiji
in 1905 for his contribution to higher education in engineering in Japan.
During a winter stay at Atami
hot springs resort in 1907, West caught pneumonia
and died shortly after in the University of Tokyo Hospital on January 10, 1908. He is buried in Aoyama Cemetery
in Tokyo. A monument with his bronze bust was was unveiled on the main campus of Tokyo University on March 19, 1910.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
mechanical engineer and naval architect, who worked for many years at the Imperial College of Engineering
Imperial College of Engineering
The Imperial College of Engineering was founded as a university at Tokyo in 1873, though its predecessor the existed from 1871. The name "Kobu Daigakko" dates from 1877. In modern-day parlance it would have been called an institute of technology....
, in Meiji era Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Biography
West was born in Dublin, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as the eldest son of the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and graduated with a degree in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
from Trinity College Dublin in 1869. He worked at Bergenhead Steel Company in Great Britain for five years, followed by positions in other forms where he gained experience in shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
, steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
s and steam power.
In 1882, West was hired by the Meiji government of the Empire of Japan
Empire of Japan
The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of...
as a foreign advisor
O-yatoi gaikokujin
The Foreign government advisors in Meiji Japan, known in Japanese as oyatoi gaikokujin , were those foreign advisors hired by the Japanese government for their specialized knowledge to assist in the modernization of Japan at the end of the Bakufu and during the Meiji era. The term is sometimes...
, to teach steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
mechanics, mechanical drawing
Drafting
Drafting or draughting may refer to:* Campdrafting, an Australian equestrian sport* Drafting , slipstreaming* Technical drawing, the act and discipline of composing diagrams that communicates how something functions or is to be constructed. E.g.:** Architectural drawing** Electrical drawing**...
, engineering, and mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
. He replaced Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer
Henry Dyer was a Scottish engineer who contributed much to founding Western-style technical education in Japan and Anglo-Japanese relations.- Early life :...
at the Kobu Daigakko, the forerunner of the Imperial College of Engineering
Imperial College of Engineering
The Imperial College of Engineering was founded as a university at Tokyo in 1873, though its predecessor the existed from 1871. The name "Kobu Daigakko" dates from 1877. In modern-day parlance it would have been called an institute of technology....
of Tokyo Imperial University. He held the position of professor of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, until his death 25 years later.
While in Japan, he assisted the Naval Architectural Department of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. He also served as an advisor to several Japanese shipyards, including Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
, or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale...
, Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
and Osaka Iron Works.
West remained a bachelor all his life. His hobbies included boating and photography, and his large collection of photographs is preserved at the Tokyo University library. Many of his diaries and manuscripts are also preserved, including lecture notes and examination problems given to his students. During his entire stay in Japan, West returned to Europe only once. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
by Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
in 1905 for his contribution to higher education in engineering in Japan.
During a winter stay at Atami
Atami, Shizuoka
is a city located in the eastern end of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2010, the city has an estimated population of 39,755 and a population density of 645 people per km². The total area is 61.56 km².-Geography:...
hot springs resort in 1907, West caught pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and died shortly after in the University of Tokyo Hospital on January 10, 1908. He is buried in Aoyama Cemetery
Aoyama Cemetery
is a cemetery in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, managed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The cemetery is also famous for its cherry blossoms, and at the season of hanami, many people visit.-History:...
in Tokyo. A monument with his bronze bust was was unveiled on the main campus of Tokyo University on March 19, 1910.