Rendel, James Meadows (1799-1856)

Rendel, James Meadows

CIVIL ENGINEER (ENGLAND)

BORN 1799, Okehampton, Devon - DIED 21 Nov 1856, London: 10 Kensington Palace Gardens
GRAVE LOCATION London: Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, Kensal Green (101/PS (13511))

James Meadows Rendal was the son of the surveyor James Rendel. His mother Jane was the daughter of the architect John Meadows. After being taught by his father he went to London where worked as a surveyor under Thomas Telford. In 1822 he went to Plymouth where he worked on the construction of roads and vridges. He partnered with Nathaniel Beardmore and in 1826 he erected Bowcombe Bridge near Kingsbrdige, Devon. He married Catherine Jane Harris and two of their sons became civil engineers as well. In the early 1830s he constructed several floating bridges. In 1836-1837 he designed the Milbay Docks in Plymouth that were executed bu Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

In 1838 he ended the partnership with Bearmore. In the 1840s he worked on canals, docks and harbours. In 1852-1853 he designed docks for the city of Genua and in 855 he completed a suspension bridge across the Ness at Inverness. From 1852 to 1853 he was hte president of the Institution of Civil Engineers and in 1843 he had become a member of the Royal Society. He died in 1856 in London.

Images

The grave of James Rendel at Kensal Green Cemetery, London.
Picture by Androom (02 Aug 2019)