John Harry Grainger
| John Harry Grainger | |
|---|---|
(1901)
|
|
| Born | 30 November 1854 Westminster, London, England |
| Died | 13 April 1917 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | English |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | civil engineer |
| Projects | Princes Bridge, Sale Swing Bridge, |
John Harry Grainger (30 November 1854 - 15 April 1917) was an English-born architect and civil engineer who emigrated to Australia in 1877, and the father of musician Percy Grainger. He designed 14 bridges, including the Princes Bridge in Melbourne.
Grainger was born at 1 New Street, Westminster, Central London, into a Northumbrian family of builders, architects and engineers. His parents were John Grainger, a master tailor, and Mary Ann Grainger, née Parsons. He grew up in Durham. Percy Grainger related that he was told "Grainger Street" in Newcastle-on-Tyne was so called because an uncle or other relative had built most of the houses in the street. John Grainger appears to have lived with an uncle while in England, but as his parents were not deceased—they are listed as still living in Westminster in the 1881 census—it is unclear why. Winifred Falconer, his companion later in life, wrote in an unpublished manuscript in the mid-1930s that he lived with an uncle who was an important influence on him during his childhood. The gentleman was a personal friend of the great theologian Cardinal Newman and the young Grainger "derived great pleasure as well as knowledge from listening to their discussions of the world’s affairs". His uncle was also interested in music and took Grainger to his personal box at the opera. Percy believed that his father received much of his education at a monastery school in France at Yvetot (between Le Havre and Paris).
Grainger started his engineering training when he was fifteen, in the office of William E. Wilson MICE of Dean’s Yard, Westminster. Wilson was a well-connected consultant to contractors for railway and other big projects. Grainger also studied architecture under I. J. Eden & W. K. Green of Westminster. In the mid-1870s, while still in Wilson’s employ, Grainger travelled throughout Europe, visiting Spain, Italy and France. An article in the Melbourne Age disclosed that Grainger learned how to construct iron bridges in London. "[He] worked with Mr Wilson, the well-known engineer of the Metro. District Railways and with him, iron bridge making has been a special study".
In 1877, at the age of 22, Grainger travelled to Australia and a position in the office of A. C. Mais, Engineer-in-Chief of the South Australian Public Works Department. He resigned in July 1878 after he had won a design competition for the Albert Bridge in Adelaide and was starting to get private work from a number of wealthy clients, including Robert Barr Smith and Thomas Elder. Grainger became involved in the musical life of Adelaide, organised the first string quartet in Adelaide, and provided space in their house for the string quartet to rehearse. Percy Grainger ascribes some of his exposure to music early on in his father's love of music.
...
Wikipedia