Francis Whishaw

Francis Whishaw (13 July 1804 – October 1856) was an English civil engineer. He was known for his role in the Society of Arts, and as a writer on railways. Later in life he was a promoter of telegraph companies.

Francis Whishaw was born 13 July 1804, the son of John Whishaw, a solicitor. He was articled to James Walker, and found work as a surveyor. He made a survey for a proposed railway line in Cornwall, in 1831, with Richard Thomas. He worked under George Stephenson on the Manchester and Leeds Railway for the second survey of 1835, with George Parker Bidder.

In the late 1830s Whishaw was promoting his version of the hydraulic telegraph. In 1839 the Institute of Civil Engineers awarded him a silver Telford medal for his History report on Westminster Bridge; it was a manuscript, of which an abstract was published in the Proceedings of the Institute.

Whishaw was recruited by Thomas Webster as the first professional secretary for the Society of Arts, from 1843 to 1845. A small exhibition set up in the Society's rooms in 1844 has been regarded as the starting point for the 1851 Great Exhibition. Possible inspirations were local British trade fairs, the French Industrial Exposition of 1844, and a Zollverein exhibition also in that year. Whishaw's exhibition, which was at his own expense, was planned to be an annual event, but was not, however, a great success. It did prompt W. F. Cooke to push for a national exhibition in 1845. Over some indifference from Prince Albert, president of the Society, Whishaw pulled together a committee including Wentworth Dilke, Francis Fuller, and Robert Stephenson. A second exhibition of 1845 with an enlarged committee was also largely disregarded by manufacturers and the public. In 1847 a more substantial exhibition was held.

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