Arthur Jacob
- Born 4 July 1831 Dublin
- Died 7 February 1895. Clapham
Arthur Jacob was born near Dublin on 4 July 1831, the son of Dr Jacob a well-known occultist. He graduated Bachelor of Arts at Trinity College, Dublin in 1855, and the following year obtained the Diploma of the Engineering school. He then entered the service of the Bombay Public Works Department as an Assistant Engineer, and until June 1859 was in charge of the Belgaum and Goa Military Road Works. From April 1860 to December 1861 he was engaged on the Krishna Irrigation Surveys, and in October 1862 he was appointed Executive Engineer for Irrigation, which post he held for two years. During that time he carried out independently the Rewarree Irrigation Works and the greater part of the Krishna Irrigation Head Works and Dams. In November 1864 he resigned the service and return to England.
From January 1866 to June 1867 Arthur Jacob was employed by Baldwin Latham as principal assistant on the Croydon Drainage and Water Works. He was then for five years Engineer to the Local Board of Health of Bromley, Kent, during which time he carried out the main drainage of a portion of that district, before becoming Engineer to the Corporation of Barrow-in-Furness, which post he held from March 1872 until 1877. During these five years he reconstructed the main drainage and carried out other extensive public improvements. He was the author of several professional contributions and papers, one of which, on storage reservoirs, was read at the Society of Engineers, 1866. He became an Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1864 and was promoted to membership in 1875.
In 1877 he was appointed Engineer to the Corporation of Salford in succession to. Alfred Fowler. In this capacity he carried out during the next fourteen years sewage disposal works on a large scale, including the laying out and development of sewage-farms, which involved extensive pumping apparatus and heavy drainage. He was also responsible for the construction of two iron bridges across the river Irwell, was frequently consulted as to drainage schemes, and assisted in various arbitration cases. In 1891 failing health forced him to resign the service of the Salford Corporation.
After four years of retirement he died at Clapham on the 7 February 1895 leaving a widow and several daughters, but no son.
Address
1877-1891 : Arthur Jacob BA MICE Borough Surveyor. Town Hall Salford
Residence
1879 2 Wellington Street East, Higher Broughton
1883 228 Great Clowes St Higher Broughton
1886 262 Great Clowes Street, Higher Broughton
1895 68 South Side Clapham Common
Obituary : Minutes Proceedings (Institution of Civil Engineers): Vol 120 (1895) page 355-356
Obituary : The Engineer 15 February 1895 page 143-144
Reference : Building News 25 January 1867 page Arthur Jacob BA, of Croydon, elected member of the Society of Engineers