John Towlerton Leather
| John Towlerton Leather | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 1804 |
| Died | 1885 |
| Occupation | Civil engineering contractor |
John Towlerton Leather (1804–1885) was a British civil engineering contractor.
In his early career was employed by the Sheffield Waterworks company, and involved in the construction of several dams. He entered private practice in 1839, initially in partnership with Mr Waring (of Waring Brothers).
He was contracted on civil engineering works including railways, harbour walls and bridge foundation construction. In the 1860s he was a consulting engineer on the Dale Dyke Dam which collapsed causing the Great Sheffield Flood.
He also known for his work on the breakwater at Portland harbour, the forts at Spithead, an extension to the Portsmouth Dockyards, and as the founder of the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds.
John Towlerton Leather was born in Beeston Park, Yorkshire on 30 August 1804. He trained under his uncle George Leather, engineer of the Aire and Calder Navigation, and of the Goole docks. In 1829 he began his own practice in Sheffield, and became engineer of the Sheffield Waterworks in 1833.
As engineer to the Sheffield Waterworks he helped create the Redmires Reservoirs and the Crooke's Moore reservoirs, during which time the young John Fowler trained under him.
In 1839 he entered into partnership with Mr Waring (later of Waring Brothers) as contractors - they were involved in construction of parts of the Midland Railway (Chesterfield) and London and North Western Railway (Chester and Crewe). The partnership with Waring ended and Leather undertook the construction (c.1846-9) of the Tadcaster to York section of the York and North Midland Railway's York to Leeds line, the construction of which was abandoned before it was completed. Between 1847 and 1850 he carried out the Erewash Valley Line. In the mid 1850s he was contracted to carry out improvements to the River Nene, which were also abandoned. In 1849 he was awarded the contract for the construction of the breakwater at Portland Harbour.
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