The third weekend visit of the Institution’s ‘History of Structural Engineering’ Study Group took place in the Newcastle area on 4-7 July 1985. The arrangements were made locally by R. W. (Bob) Rennison and, as previously, by Julia Elton and John Bancroft from London. On the first evening we had an excellent biographical talk by Bob Rennison on ‘Engineers of the north-east’. His list of engineers was long, the connections with the region varied, and the names often (but not always) well known.
Smeaton, the two Stephensons, Fairbairn, and William (Lord) Armstrong, have been amply
recognised by posterity but, for instance, Chapman, Harrison, the Greens, and Blackmore, are less well known.