Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Railway engineer. Charles Robert Atkinson, youngest son of Joseph Atkinson of Dublin and grandson of George Atkinson, a baron of the Exchequer and former Recorder of Dublin, was born in Dublin on 4 April 1826. After receiving his education in England and Germany, he was articled to GEORGE WILLOUGHBY HEMANS GEORGE WILLOUGHBY HEMANS , who subsequently appointed him a resident engineer on the Midland Great Western Railway. He was in charge of the construction of the railway bridge over the Shannon at Athlone in 1850. He was then employed by WILLIAM RICHARD LE FANU WILLIAM RICHARD LE FANU , acting as resident engineer on the railway line from Waterford to Tramore. In 1854 and 1855 he carried out some contracts for WILLIAM DARGAN WILLIAM DARGAN . He was then appointed an engineer to the East India Company, but returned home in 1857 following the outbreak of the mutiny. On his return he worked on the Sligo extension of the of the Midland Great Western Railway, having charge of twenty miles of line and the construction of the station at Sligo. After the line opened, he was appointed resident engineer on the River Fergus reclamation works. He was engaged in survey work for a railway line between Kilrush and Kilkee from 1865 to 1866.

In 1866 Atkinson was appointed chief engineer on the Ulster Railway. Ten years later, when the company merged with the Great Northern Railway, he became engineer to the northern division of the amalgamated lines. He resigned on account of ill-health in August 1889. During the 1880s he was also a promoter and one of the directors of the electric railway from Portrush to the Giant's Causeway.

Atkinson died on on 13 December 1889, only months after his retirement. According to his obituary in the Min.Proc.Inst.CE, he was an accomplished musician and played in various Belfast orchestras. He was also a keen Freemason.

Inst.CE: elected member, 6 Feb 1866.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry is from the obituary of Atkinson in Min.Proc.Inst.CE 100 (1889-90, Pt. II), 378-9.


1 work entries listed in chronological order for ATKINSON, CHARLES ROBERT


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Building: CO. WESTMEATH, ATHLONE, SHANNON BRIDGE
Date: 1850
Nature: CRA incharge of construction of bridge to designs by George Willoughby Hemans
Refs: Min.Proc.Inst.CE 100 (1889-90, Pt. II), 378