Claude W. Kinder
Encyclopedia
Claude William Kinder C.M.G.
, (* August 10, 1852, † August 9, 1936 in Churt
, England
) was an English engineer. For over thirty years he was engineer-in-chief of the Kaiping Tramway and Imperial Railways of North China
.
Claude William Kinder was the third son of Major Thomas William Kinder who served as Master of the Hong Kong Mint
from 1863–1868 and the Director of the Imperial Japanese Mint
in Osaka
between 1870 and 1875.
Tutored by his father, Claude later studied railway engineering in St. Petersburg before obtaining his first professional appointment as an assistant engineer with Imperial Japanese Railways
in 1873. Forced to leave Japan because of civil war in 1878 he moved to Shanghai
where he met Tong King-sing
who appointed him as an engineer with the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company
at Tangshan
near to the ancient walled city of Kaiping
. Kinder’s initial brief was to help with the sinking of coal mine shafts at the new colliery and to construct a railway from the mines to the nearest navigable river. Chinese politics initially prevented the building of this railway and in consequence Kinder surveyed and built a canal for coal barges to operate between the river at Lutai and Hsukochuang (Xugezhuang) from where a short tramway was constructed to Tangshan.
The government authority for the tramway had intended that only mules were to be used for hauling coal wagons but Kinder (with Tong King Sing's connivance) secretly constructed a home-built steam locomotive which was christened “The Rocket of China”, the first steam locomotive ever made in China. From these early beginnings the ‘Kaiping Tramway’ evolved into China’s first major railway line and administration known as Imperial Railways of North China and later, after the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty
, the Peking
-Mukden
Railway. Kinder served this railway as Engineer-in-Chief for some thirty years until retirement in 1909.
The Chinese Government appointed Kinder as an Honorary Chinese official and he was decorated with the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon
. In 1900 Kinder was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
by the British Government in recognition of his services to the development of railways (and British financial interests) in China. He died in Churt
, England on August 9, 1936, a day short of his eighty-fourth year.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, (* August 10, 1852, † August 9, 1936 in Churt
Churt
Churt is a village and civil parish in the borough of Waverley in Surrey, England. It is located on the A287 road between Hindhead and Farnham, and is split by the Surrey–Hampshire borders. Its origins date back to the Saxon period. The original boundary stones are visible at the junction of Green...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) was an English engineer. For over thirty years he was engineer-in-chief of the Kaiping Tramway and Imperial Railways of North China
Kaiping Tramway and Imperial Railways of North China
Often described as China’s first railway, the first standard gauge railway to be built and survive in China was the Kaiping colliery tramway located at Tongshan in Hebei province. This was not, however, truly the first railway in China...
.
Claude William Kinder was the third son of Major Thomas William Kinder who served as Master of the Hong Kong Mint
Hong Kong Mint
Hong Kong Mint was a mint in Hong Kong existed from 1866 to 1868. It was located in Sugar Street, Hong Kong Island. A Mint Dam, on the slope of Mount Butler, was constructed to supply water to the mint....
from 1863–1868 and the Director of the Imperial Japanese Mint
Japan Mint
The is an Incorporated Administrative Agency of the Japanese government. This agency has its Head office in Osaka with branches in Tokyo and Hiroshima.-History:...
in Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
between 1870 and 1875.
Tutored by his father, Claude later studied railway engineering in St. Petersburg before obtaining his first professional appointment as an assistant engineer with Imperial Japanese Railways
Japanese Government Railways
The Japanese Government Railways was the national railway system directly operated by the central government of Japan until 1949. It is a predecessor of Japanese National Railways and the Japan Railways Group.- Name :...
in 1873. Forced to leave Japan because of civil war in 1878 he moved to Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
where he met Tong King-sing
Tong King-sing
Tong King-sing , also known as Tang Tingshu was a Chinese comprador, interpreter, and businessman during the late Qing dynasty. Born in Xiangshan, Guangdong province, he studied in Robert Morrison's missionary schools as a boy and his classmates included Yung Wing...
who appointed him as an engineer with the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company
Chinese Engineering and Mining Company
The Chinese Engineering and Mining Company, Limited, was established with foreign capital around 1879 to mine coal for the steamships of the Chinese Merchants' Steam Navigation Company and the Imperial Chinese Navy. English mining engineer Robert Reginald Burnett, MICE, directed the first shaft at...
at Tangshan
Tangshan
"唐山"redirects here. For an alternative name of China, see Names of China#TangTangshan is a largely industrial prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China. It has become known for the 1976 Tangshan earthquake which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and killed at least...
near to the ancient walled city of Kaiping
Kaiping
Kaiping : Hoi3 Pen6) or Hoi Ping is a county-level city in Guangdong Province, southern China. It has a population of 680,000 as of 2003 and an area of 1,659 km². The locals speak a variation of the Taishan dialect.-Administration:...
. Kinder’s initial brief was to help with the sinking of coal mine shafts at the new colliery and to construct a railway from the mines to the nearest navigable river. Chinese politics initially prevented the building of this railway and in consequence Kinder surveyed and built a canal for coal barges to operate between the river at Lutai and Hsukochuang (Xugezhuang) from where a short tramway was constructed to Tangshan.
The government authority for the tramway had intended that only mules were to be used for hauling coal wagons but Kinder (with Tong King Sing's connivance) secretly constructed a home-built steam locomotive which was christened “The Rocket of China”, the first steam locomotive ever made in China. From these early beginnings the ‘Kaiping Tramway’ evolved into China’s first major railway line and administration known as Imperial Railways of North China and later, after the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, the Peking
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
-Mukden
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
Railway. Kinder served this railway as Engineer-in-Chief for some thirty years until retirement in 1909.
The Chinese Government appointed Kinder as an Honorary Chinese official and he was decorated with the Imperial Order of the Double Dragon
Order of the Double Dragon
The Imperial Order of the Double Dragon was an order awarded in the period of the Qing Dynasty.The Order was founded by the Guangxu Emperor on 7 February 1882 as an award for outstanding services to the Throne...
. In 1900 Kinder was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
by the British Government in recognition of his services to the development of railways (and British financial interests) in China. He died in Churt
Churt
Churt is a village and civil parish in the borough of Waverley in Surrey, England. It is located on the A287 road between Hindhead and Farnham, and is split by the Surrey–Hampshire borders. Its origins date back to the Saxon period. The original boundary stones are visible at the junction of Green...
, England on August 9, 1936, a day short of his eighty-fourth year.