Alexander Binnie

Alexander Binnie
Born	1839
Died	1917
Nationality	English
Engineering career
Engineering discipline	Civil,
Institution memberships	Institution of Civil Engineers (president),
Significant projects	Blackwall Tunnel, Greenwich foot tunnel, Vauxhall Bridge

Sir Alexander Richardson Binnie (1839–1917) was a British civil engineer responsible for several major engineering projects, including several associated with crossings of the River Thames in London.

Binnie's Vauxhall Bridge

As chief engineer for the London County Council, his design feats included the first Blackwall Tunnel (1897) and Greenwich foot tunnel (1902) (both in Greenwich, London) and, further upstream, Vauxhall Bridge (1906).

By then knighted by Queen Victoria for services to engineering, he was elected President of the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1905.^[1]

He also designed, with Sir Benjamin Baker, major parts of London's drainage system, including east London sewage treatment works at Crossness and Barking on the south and north sides of the Thames respectively (these were sited at the ends of the sewer outfalls created by Sir Joseph Bazalgette during the late 19th century). Further afield, he also designed water works in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

Like several other notable engineers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g.: Sir William Halcrow, Sir Alexander Gibb), Binnie founded a firm under his name, which his son William took over on his father's retirement. in 1909 Sir Alexander Binnie and Son merged with another engineering consultancy to become Sir Alexander Binnie, Son & Deacon; later it became Binnie & Partners and from the 1990s it has been part of the multi-national Black & Veatch consultancy.

Binnie married, in 1865, the daughter of Dr. Eames, of Londonderry. Lady Binnie died in London 21 September 1901.^[2]

References

1. Watson, Garth (1988), The Civils, London: Thomas Telford Ltd, p. 252, ISBN 0-7277-0392-7
2. "Obituaries" The Times (London). Tuesday, 24 September 1901. (36568), p. 4.