Builder Histories
Sir Alexander Richardson Binnie (1839-1917) was a Victorian civil engineer who became chief engineer for the London County Council. He became president of the Insitution of Civil Engineers in 1905. Binnie’s involvement in major projects included Greenwich and Blackwall tunnels under the Thames, Vauxhall Bridge, the Barking Road Bridge over the River Lee and London’s drainage and sewerage systems.
Alexander Richardson Binnie was born in London in March 1839, son of Alexander and Hannah (nee Carr). Alexander Senior, who was born in Scotland, is shown in the 1861 census of England as a tailor employing 38 men. The 1861 census shows Alexander and his parents living in Kensington along with his younger brothers William, Thomas, David and Alfred. At that time the family had 5 house servants living in the household.
After a private education he was articled to Terence Wolfe Flanagan but had to transfer to the tutillage of John Bateman following Flanagan’s death.
In the mid-1860’s Binnie worked on railway construction in Wales and was then appointed an executive engineer in India. He returned to England in 1873 after a successful tour in India, and the 1881 census shows Alexander and his wife Mary living in Heaton near Bradford, Yorkshire with three children. Alexander’s occupation is shown as ‘Civil Engineer’ – he was the waterworks engineer for Bradford. He is reported to have undertaken important work in ensuring the safety of reservoir dams.
The 1901 census records Sir Alexander R Binnie (he was knighted in 1897) and the family living in Ladbroke Grove, London. Sir Alexander’s occupation is recorded as ‘Civil Engineer (Chief Engineer LCC). Two daughters are still at home and the family are recorded as having 4 resident household staff.
Sir Alexander Binnie founded his own firm in 1901 after resigning his post with the LCC. The firm was later taken over by his son William. Sir William Binnie and Son later merged with another firm to become Sir Alexander Binnie, Son and Deacon. The company continued in business as an independent partnership until the 1995 when it became part of the Black & Vetch consultancy. This company was originally formed in 1915 in Kansas. The Black & Vetch Consultancy website states that the merger with Binnie and Partners gave Black & Vetch “an opening in the UK, European and Asian markets.”
My research records Sir Alexander R Binnie as being involved in the design of swing bridges on the Isle of Dogs. The bridges in the docks had originally been the responsibility of the Dock owners, but after a long legal battle the LCC agreed in the 1890’s to replace 4 swing bridges with larger bridges to carry the huge increase in traffic between Poplar and the Isle of Dogs. Binnie became involved in the process in his role as Chief Engineer to the LCC.
The bridges involved were those spanning the four entrance locks to the West India Docks –
Preston Road crossing over the Blackwall Dock entrance lock
Manchester Road crossing over the South Dock Entrance
Bridge Road crossing over Limehouse entrance to South dock
Bridge Road crossing over Limehouse entrance to West India Dock
I have not yet discovered any other examples of Sir Alxander Binnie’s involvement with movable bridges.
