James Abernethy - Biography

Biography

Abernethy was born in Aberdeen to George Abernethy and Isabella Johnston. In 1823, the family moved to South Wales, where his father managed the Dowlais Ironworks, and in 1826 moved to Southwark in London, because his father obtained a job as a foundry manager. While there, he watched the construction of London Bridge. In 1827, he was sent with his brothers to Cotherstone Boarding School in the North Riding of Yorkshire, but was removed by his uncle, Revd. John Abernethy, two years later, when he discovered the awful conditions at the school. His uncle took him to London and then to Haddington, East Lothian where he spent two years at the Grammar School. He then went to work under his father, who was working on the construction of the Eastern Dock, which was part of the London Docks complex.

His next move with his father was in 1832 to Herne Bay, where a timber pier was being constructed. However, he sailed to Sweden in 1833, to lay out new roads for a manganese mine near Jönköping which a friend had bought. He spent much of his spare time sketching the architecture and scenery of the area, until he was recalled to England in 1835 by his father, to assist on the Start Point lighthouse project in Devon. This appears to be the last time he worked with his father, as he moved to Goole in 1836, to work with George Leather on the construction of the steamship dock and lock which connected the Aire and Calder Navigation to the Humber. Despite nearly drowning when a cofferdam collapsed, he devoted most of the rest of his career to marine engineering. He worked on improvements to the Aire and Calder between Wakefield and Methley until 1838, and then became the resident engineer for the North Midland Railway, working under George Stephenson. However, he resigned after 18 months, to become the engineer for the Aberdeen Harbour Trust.