Mark William Carr, MICE, FSA

From British Newspaper Archive: Tyne Mercury; Northumberland and Durham and Cumberland Gazette Tuesday, 29 October 1822 Page 2 Newcastle Births

Births: At North Shields, on Saturday, 26 October 1822 [inst.] the wife of Mr. J. T. Carr, of Toll square, of a son.

From Freereg: Baptism of Mark William Carr

• Mark William Carr
• Baptised: 5 February 1823 at Christ Church, Preston Road, North Shields, Tyne and Wear NE29 0LW 55.011451, -1.448102, Tynemouth, Northumberland
• Father: John Thomas Carr, Master Mariner
• Mother: Matilda Carr
• Residence: Hutchinson's Buildings, Toll Square, North Shields, Tyne and Wear 55.009971, -1.436174

NOTE Western Thunder: Low Quay Yard Hutchinson's Buildings, near Toll Square, on Wood's Plan of North Shields, surveyed in 1826

NOTE: Records of a Quaker family - the Richardsons of Cleveland by Anne Ogden Boyce Published 1889 Page 95

Visitors to North Shields who find their way to the Fish Quay may observe, standing upon the high bank above it, a row of dark stone houses facing the south. Pleasant people lived happily in those houses fifty years ago; and in earlier and comparatively smokeless days, before the introduction of steamboats upon the Tyne, they must have been bright, cheerful abodes indeed. The row was built and owned by a Mr. Hutchinson, whose daughter resided in one of the houses to the close of her vigorous life of nearly a hundred years. In the days of its prosperity, the row bore the simple name of Hutchinson's Buildings. Now, in the time of its somewhat fallen fortunes, it has received the appellation of Tyne Terrace! The houses have long, narrow gardens in front of them, which are mostly laid out in what were called grass plats. Lawn was a word rarely used in the North of England until the introduction of the game of croquet. Only the road separates the gardens from the edge of the river-bank; and at right angles with them, facing the east, eighty stone steps lead to the road and shore below.

From findmypast 18410606 census John Carr 45 Sophia 45 Mark 18 Balleny 11 Henry 7 Richard 6 at Hanover Square St John Newcastle upon Tyne Northumberland

6 June 1841 Census for residents of [Hanover Square, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3NP 54.9677944, -1.6126653], parish of St John, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland

• John Carr, Male aged 45 [born about 1796] in Northumberland, Merchant
• Sophia Carr, Female aged 45 [born about 1796] in Northumberland
• Mark Carr, Male aged 18 [born about 1823] in Northumberland, Engineer
• 3 half-siblings, 2 servants

From FreeBMD - Registration of marriage of Mark William Carr in 1846 and FreeBMD - Registration of marriage of Mary Raine in 1846

• April to June 1846: Registration of marriage of Mary Raine; in Greenwich (Volume 5, Page 328)
• April to June 1846: Registration of marriage of Mark William Carr; in Greenwich (Volume 5, Page 328)

From Newspapers: The Leeds Mercury Saturday, 16 May 1846 Page 8 Marriages

Marriages: Same day, Tuesday, 12 May 1846, at Maize Hill, Greenwich, by the Rev. Thomas Binney, Mark William Carr, Esq., Stamford, Lincolnshire, to Mary Raine, youngest daughter of the late William Raine, Esq., Staindrop, County Durham.

From Mark William Carr married Mary Raine - The Observer, Sunday, 17 May 1846 Page 8 - Newspapers.com

Marriage: 12 May 1846, at Maize Hill, Greenwich, by the Rev. Thomas Binney, Mark William Carr, Esq., Stamford, Lincolnshire, to Mary Raine, daughter of the late William Raine, Esq., Staindrop, County Durham.

NOTE - worth checking The National Archives: Maze Hill Congregational Church, Greenwich: misc papers

• Reference: N/C/50
• Description: misc papers
• Date: 1823-1870
• Held by: London Metropolitan Archives: City of London, not available at The National Archives
• NRA catalogue reference: NRA 7562 GLRO misc

NOTE - worth checking The National Archives: Maze Hill Congregational Church, Greenwich: ledger, Sunday school records, misc papers

• Reference: G/27
• Description: ledger, Sunday school records, misc papers
• Date: 1822-1925
• Held by: Greenwich Heritage Centre, not available at The National Archives
• NRA catalogue reference: NRA 36361 Greenwich misc

From British Newspaper Archive: Stamford Mercury Friday, 15 May 1846 Page 3 Married

Married: On Tuesday, 12 May 1846 [inst.], at Maize Hill, Greenwich, (by the Rev. Thomas Binney,) Mark William Carr, Esq., of Stamford, (a gentleman connected with the Syston and Peterborough railway,) to Mary Raine, youngest daughter of the late William Raine, Esq., of Staindrop, County Durham.

Note Syston and Peterborough Railway

From MyHeritage: Mark William Carr: 1851 England & Wales Census

30 March 1851 Census for residents of 8? High Street, Uppingham, Rutland, England; Possibly: [8 High Street East, Uppingham, Oakham LE15 9PZ 52.5879516, -0.721757]

• Mark William Carr, head, married, male, aged 28 [born about 1823], in North Shields, Northamptonshire; Civil Engineer
• Mary Carr, wife, married, female, aged 29 [born about 1822], in Bretton, Yorkshire
• Mark W Carr, son, single, male, aged 4 [born about 1847], in Seaton, Rutland
• John T Carr, son, single, male, aged 8 months [born in 1850], in Charlton, Kent
• Thomas Clutterbuck, visitor, single, male, aged 24 [born about 1827], in Warkworth, Northamptonshire; Civil Engineer
• Ann Russell, servant, single, female, aged 17 [born about 1834], in Ridlington, Rutland; House Servant
• Margaret Pousty, servant, single, female, aged 14 [born about 1837], in Bromley, Kent; Nurse Maid

NOTE Thomas Clutterbuck, of Warkworth, born 11 December 1826, died: 6 June 1900 (aged 73) buried: Warkworth Cemetery, Warkworth, Northumberland.

From British Newspaper Archive: Star Of Gwent Saturday, 13 January 1855 Page 6 Llanover: A disputed road case

The Parish of Llanover versus The Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway Company.

Saturday, 6 January 1855

[To be transcribed] Mark William Carr - supervised construction of the road...

From Monmouthshire Merlin Saturday, 6 December 1856 The Fatal Accident at Nantyderry

... The evidence of Colonel Yolland, the government inspector, who examined the state of the road, and considered he curve quite unobjectionable - of Messrs. Percy Morris, traffic manager, and M. W. Carr, locomotive superintendent to the company, are of importance, as tending to exonerate the guard from blame, and showing that the driver, in proceeding with a disabled engine, acted criminally.

From Monmouthshire Merlin Saturday, 6 December 1856 The Fatal Railway Accident at Nantyderry

Mark William Carr, examined by Mr. James, said: I am a civil engineer, and resident engineer and locomotive superintendent at Hereford. I became locomotive superintendent on 1 January 1855, and had been engineer during the construction of the line.

I became acquainted with Sargeant about twelve months before the line was opened: he was then fireman on Mr. Rennie's ballast engine, of which Thomas Whitehead was driver. When I was appointed locomotive superintendent, Sargeant was a fireman in the employment of Mr. Brassey, who supplied the company with locomotive power. I generally noticed that he appeared an active and useful fireman. Jones, the locomotive fireman, has frequently spoken to me as to Nathaniel Sargeant's fitness to be promoted as driver.

In January 1856, I made a memorandum of the order of precedence of drivers, firemen, and cleaners, which I produce. According to that memorandum, Nathaniel Sargeant stood as the oldest fireman at that time, and the first for promotion.

On 3 November 1856, we commenced our Birkenhead traffic, and that entailed the necessity for the employment of two additional drivers, and firemen were promoted. We had sometime previously anticipated that traffic, and about two or three months before it commenced, I made a memorandum of the changes to be made in our staff, and I ordered a copy to be given to Mr. Jones, for his guidance in the promotion. [The memorandum was produced, and showed that N. Sargeant was to replace Richard Sergeant as turner and spare driver.] The wages of Sargeant were to be 4s. a day, and from the 3rd of November Nathaniel Sargeant took the place of Richard Sargeant.

The locomotive fireman makes a fortnightly return to me of the changes in the staff. The report for the fortnight ending the 15 November 1856, which I produce, shows that the changes contemplated in my memorandum were made.

Mr. Humphreys objected to the report being received, it was made on the 15 November 1856, after the accident took place.

The Coroner, after hearing Mr. James, decided that the report could not be received. ...

The Coroner said it was the bounden duty of the company to do all they could to supply every means of protection to passengers, against risk and loss of life; they were to have their staff as perfect as it could possibly be made; and that in all their appointments they should take care to have persons fully competent to undertake their duties. If they, having undertaken those duties, were, through ignorance, wilful neglect, or otherwise, the cause of the deaths of those gentlemen, they would be the parties responsible for that neglect. The parties who appeared to him to stand in that position were Mr. Carr, the two foremen, and the engine driver.

With respect to Mr. Carr, he thought the jury would be satisfied that he was too remotely placed to be at all criminally amenable in this matter.

The next parties were the two foremen, Jones and King, and it would be for the jury to say whether either or both of them had been guilty of such neglect as to make them amenable. It had been shown in evidence, that it was the duty of Jones and King to inform themselves generally as to the possession of tools by the drivers, because the absence of those tools on this particular journey they might probably think was in a great measure the cause of the accident. King appeared to have made himself acquainted with the absence of certain tools which were necessary, but he did not discover the want of a screw-jack, nor did he supply it; indeed, he did not appear to be aware of the absence of it. ...

The Coroner then quoted the opinion of Chief Baron Pollock, Justice Rolfe, and Justice Coleridge upon the degree of blame which would justify a jury in returning a verdict of manslaughter.

The room was then cleared, that the jury might consider their verdict. At the expiration of two hours tie public were re-admitted, and the foreman read the following verdict:—

"We find that the deceased persons- Edmund Henry Hands, and Mark Hicks, came to their deaths on the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford railway, at Nantyderry, on the 12 November 1856, owing to the up mineral train running into two carriages of the down express, which were thrown upon the up line, in consequence of the engine having lost its left-hand leading spring and we find a verdict of MANSLAUGHTER against Nathaniel Sargeant, the driver, and George King, the running shed foreman, at the Hereford station. We are also of opinion that the locomotive superintendent should examine all persons who are candidates for the office of driver, before promoting them to that situation, and that the ability to read and write should be a necessary qualification." ...

The following letter with regard to the above inquest, has been addressed by the Secretary of the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway Company, to the Editor of the Times:-

Sir, — At the recent coroner's inquest at Abergavenny, to inquire into the cause of the deaths of two gentlemen who had unfortunately been killed by an accident on the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway, Mr. Philip Price, an attorney resident at Abergavenny, attended the inquiry, and during the progress of it, made certain imputations against my character as Secretary of the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Company.

The charges he brought against me were that I was secretary of the railway company and resident director of the United Mutual Assurance Society that the directors of the railway were also directors of the assurance society that I had those gentlemen under my thumb and that all persons holding such offices as Mr. Percy Morris, who is the general manager of the company, and Mr. Carr, the resident engineer, were obliged to insure their lives in the assurance office to a certain amount, the premiums to be paid out of their salaries, Thus these gentlemen got very high salaries, while the poor men under them were very inadequately paid.

I could not be present at the inquest, because I was confined to my bed by severe illness but the entire accusation was emphatically denied by Mr. James, the solicitor of the company, who called upon Mr. Price for his authority, — which, however, he declined to give. I have therefore placed the matter in the hands of my attorneys, who, if the technicalities of the law permit, will immediately commence an action against Mr. Price, and thus afford him an opportunity of justifying the slander he has uttered against me. In the meantime, I shall content myself with the assertion that the whole charge against me is utterly groundless and false.

The only officer of the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Company who has insured his life in the office of which I am a director, is, I believe, Mr. Carr, who effected the assurance long previous to his appointment in this company, before I had the pleasure of that gentleman's acquaintance, and without the slightest reference to his appointment. Mr. Price's insinuation that the directors of the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway are under my thumb is a libel on the directors rather than on myself, but, which the high position and independent spirit of those gentlemen and their active exertions in the office they hold are sufficient to refute.

Thomas Pritchard. Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway, Secretary's office, 26 Spring Gardens, 29 November 1856

From Crumlin Viaduct Resident engineer: M.W. Carr, NAHR (Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway)

1857 Opening of the Crumlin Viaduct

It was declared ready for testing in May 1857 and six locomotives loaded with lead and weighing 380 tons were run onto one of the spans, using both tracks. The resident engineer M. W. Carr startled the onlookers when he daringly climbed over the handrails to minutely examine the works for any movement.

The maximum deflection observed was between one inch and one inch and half. A few days later the inspector Colonel Wynne passed the Viaduct as safe.

Lady Isabella Fitzmaurice eventually opened the Viaduct on Whit Monday, 1 June 1857, amid great celebrations. It was estimated that a crowd of 20,000 people travelled from all parts of the country to witness the event. Locomotives on the Viaduct line and the Western Valley line below were decorated with flags and evergreens. Over the centre of the Viaduct an Arch was constructed of evergreens and flowers with a banner declaring "Long life and prosperity to Thomas William Kennard". Two cannon fired volleys throughout the day, which re-echoed from mountainside to mountainside.

From British Newspaper Archive: Hereford Journal Wednesday, 20 October 1858 Page 1 Preliminary. Overbury Lodge, Athelstan Hill, Hereford

[Overbury Lodge, 85 Aylestone Hill, Hereford HR1 1HX 52.0666229, -2.6978697] Important and Unreserved Sale of Modem and very superior Household Furniture, the whole which has been recently purchased from the first houses in the trade, and includes suites for Dining and Drawing-rooms, Nursery, five principal Bed-rooms, with servants' Apartments, Kitchen and Culinary Requisites; handsome Pony, Carriage, Saddlery, etc., three Milch Cows, Pigs, two Ricks of capital Hay, Hurdles, Implements, and Effects in full, which

Messrs. Sunderland & Son

Are favoured with instructions from Mark Wm. Carr, Esq., who is leaving England,

To Sell by Auction,

Upon the above Premises, on Thursday, 28 October 1858 and Friday, 29 October 1858. Catalogues in due time. 16, St. Owen Street, Hereford, Thursday, 14 October 1858.

NOTE: Herefordshire Planning Permission for Overbury Lodge 85 Aylestone Hill Hereford Herefordshire HR1 1HX

From The Making of India: The Untold Story of British Enterprise By Kartar Lalvani Page 177

1858 Chief Engineer of the Madras Railway, and Great Southern of India Railway

27 October 1863: Applied for a patent for "Improvements in the Manufacture of Wooden Sleepers for Railways"

From British Newspaper Archive: Railway News Saturday, 30 April 1864 Page 24 Carr's Patent Sleepers

These Sleepers make a strong and elastic road at a small cost. A trial piece of such a road was laid down on the Great Southern of India Railway in April 1863, and up to the latest account in October it has given the utmost satisfaction.

The Sleepers are of Iron-wood, from Ceylon, 9 feet long, 10 inches wide, and 6½ inches deep. They can be delivered at any port of the Coromandel coast, ready cut to receive the rail, at a cost of about 5s. 10d. to 6s. The cost, all ready prepared at Ceylon, would not exceed 4s.

Creosoted Memel Sleepers, delivered at Negapatam for the Great Southern of India Railway, cost 9s.; iron chairs and spikes, 5s.; or 14s. each.

The rail is firmly fixed to Carr's Patent Sleeper by means of a wooden key only, without the necessity for any other fastening.

The Iron-wood is hard and durable, and has been found to resist under every disadvantage of the most exposed situations, rot, worm, and white ant, for more than a quarter of a century.

Economy of first cost gives this Sleeper a decided claim to preference over other modes of construction.

The following additional advantages are worthy of consideration: —

1st. The rail at its bearing is nowhere in contact with iron; thus making a road easier to travel on, cheaper to maintain, and less injurious to, or injured by, the rolling stock.

2nd. By the ordinary mode of construction the rail rests on about 4½ inches of iron chair, with Sleepers at 36 in. apart, and the rail is unsupported for 31½ in., whereas by Carr's construction the rail has the support of the full width of the Sleepers — say 10 in. — leaving only 26 in. unsupported. Thus a rail may be worn for a longer period, or the first cost diminished by using a lighter rail.

3rd. When rails rest on iron chairs, it is unadvisable to turn them, as the under edge becomes after a little use so much cut or indented by the chair; by Carr's method, the rail resting on wood, remains uninjured, and may be turned with advantage. In distant countries, which are supplied with rails from England, this advantage is very important.

4th. The grooves being cut in the sleeper systematically before they are sent on to the work, perfect regularity and accuracy of gauge is attainable.

5th. The plate-laying consists only in placing the sleeper and rail in position, and driving the keys, which is so simply and quickly done, that the first cost and relaying are reduced some 66 per cent.

6th. The small number of pieces of which the road is formed is of manifest advantage, and dispenses with the risk of loss of the numerous small but necessary and expensive parts used in the ordinary construction.

7th. The base of the sleeper being brought much nearer to the surface of the rail, the drainage of the road is simplified, and less ballast suffices.

The principle of this sleeper may with advantage be applied to various forms of rail in use.

A Comparative Estimate, showing the cost, delivered at Madras, of a mile of Permanent Way of a given strength on the three Plans — Greaves' Cast Iron Sleepers, Creosote Memel Sleepers, and Carr's Grooved Hard Wood Sleepers gives the following result: — Greaves' Cast-iron Sleepers, £2,780, Creosote Memel Sleepers, £2,738, and Carr's Sleepers, £1,775 per mile respectively, including 15 per cent. added for sidings; difference per mile in favour of Carr's Sleepers, £1,005 as compared with Greaves' Cast-iron Sleepers; £963 as compared with Creosote Memel Sleepers.

For particulars and terms of Licence apply to Mark Wm. Carr, Esq., C.E., Allahabad, Bengal; Oliver and Co., Negapatam, Madras; Sprigg, Twentyman, and Co., Melbourne, Australia; or Francis Bennoch, 80 Wood Street, London.

From Memorial tablet for railroad built by Hungarians

[From 1868, Mark Carr was Engineer for the Grosswardein and Klausenburg Railway in Hungary] It opened on 9 September 1870.

From Wikipedia: Rio Tinto (corporation)

Formation

Since antiquity, a site along the Rio Tinto in Huelva, Spain, has been mined for copper, silver, gold and other minerals. Around 3000 BC, Iberians and Tartessians began mining the site, followed by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths and Moors. After a period of abandonment, the mines were rediscovered in 1556 and the Spanish government began operating them once again in 1724.

However, Spain's mining operations there were inefficient, and the government itself was otherwise distracted by political and financial crises, leading the government to sell the mines in 1873 at a price later determined to be well below actual value. The purchasers of the mine were led by Hugh Matheson's Matheson and Company, which ultimately formed a syndicate consisting of Deutsche Bank (56% ownership), Matheson (24%) and the civil engineering firm Clark, Punchard and Company (20%). At an auction held by the Spanish government to sell the mine on Friday, 14 February 1873, the group won with a bid of GB£3.68 million (ESP 92.8 million). The bid also specified that Spain would permanently relinquish any right to claim royalties on the mine's production. Following purchase of the mine, the syndicate launched the Rio Tinto Company, registering it on Saturday, 29 March 1873. At the end of the 1880s, control of the firm passed to the Rothschild family, who increased the scale of its mining operations.

Operating history

Following their purchase of the Rio Tinto Mine, the new ownership constructed a number of new processing facilities, innovated new mining techniques, and expanded mining activities.

From 1877 to 1891, the Rio Tinto Mine was the world's leading producer of copper.

From British Newspaper Archive: Morning Post Saturday, 27 September 1873 Page 7 Money Market and City News

The following telegram has been received at the office of the Rio Tinto Mining Company (Limited), from their general manager in Spain, Mr. Mark W. Carr: —

"Huelva, Wednesday, 24 September 1873, 12.35 p.m. — The official inauguration of the railway works has today taken place, amid tremendous enthusiasm. The Governor attended by direction and in the name of the Minister of Public Works. All the civil and military authorities promised solemnly their entire support to an undertaking which, by fostering the interests of the company, develops the immense resources of the province of Huelva."

From MyHeritage: Mark W Carr: 1881 England & Wales Census

3 April 1881 Census for residents of [4 Woburn Place, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0LS 51.5236888, -0.1264152], St George Bloomsbury, London, England

• Mark W Carr, head, married, male, aged 58 [born about 1823], in North Shields; Civil Engineer
• Mary Carr, wife, married, female, aged 59 [born about 1822], in Bretton, Yorkshire
• Thomas W Carr, son, single, male, aged 27 [born about 1854], in Newport, Monmouthshire; Commercial Clerk [Cl] (Woollen[?])
• Mary M R Carr, daughter, single, female, aged 23 [born about 1858], in Hereford, Herefordshire
• Elizabeth M Carr, daughter, single, female, aged 19 [born about 1862], in Madras British Subject
• Percy E O Carr, son, single, male, aged 17 [born about 1864], in Blackheath, Kent; Commercial Clerk [Cl] Gas
• Rachel Harris, servant, single, female, aged 38 [born about 1843], in Mamhilad, Monmouthshire; Housemaid
• Charlotte Wayman, servant, single, female, aged 42 [born about 1839], in Upwell, Norfolk; Cook

From The Merthyr Express Saturday, 26 July 1884 Bedwellty Board of Guardians

The monthly meeting of this Board was held on Wednesday, under the presidency of Mr. W. H. Powell (chairman). There was a very small attendance, the weather being so very unpropitious. The following guardians were present :- Messrs. W.[?] Carr (Blaina) ...

Appointment of Deputy-Relieving-Officer. In the absence of Mr. G. R. Harris, who had given notice of motion, Mr. M. W. Carr moved that Mr. Walter Rosser be appointed deputy relieving officer for the Aberystruth district.

From South Wales Echo Thursday, 19 February 1885 Important Liberal Meeting at Tredegar

The Future Member for the Tredegar Division.

On Wednesday, 18 February 1885 an important and influential meeting of Liberals was held at the Town Hall, Tredegar, and was composed of many delegates from associations throughout Tredegar division of the county of Monmouthshire. Amongst those present were ... M. W. Carr, J. A. Jones, Blaina; ... The chief business was to consider the Liberal position in the county, and to take steps to promote the proper organisation of the party.

From Weekly Mail Saturday, 20 June 1885 South Wales Institute of Engineers.

Visit to Kingswood and Bath. On Wednesday, 17 June 1885 a large number of the members of the South Wales Institute of Engineers and their friends paid a visit to Kingswood Collieries, and Mr. H. Cossham, Mayor of Bath, received them and showed the colliery arrangements. ...

The members then proceeded to Bath, where his worship hospitably entertained the company at the Guildhall. Amongst those who accepted invitations to be present were ... M. W. Carr, Newport; ...

From Weekly Mail Saturday, 13 March 1886 The Proposed Local Board for Blaina

A meeting of the candidates for seats on the above was held, by the request of the returning officer, Mr. I. H. Sloper, at the Public Hall on Saturday, 6 March 1886 for the purpose of endeavouring to arrange the matter without a contested election. Twenty-seven candidates were nominated, and out of that number four withdrew, making the standing total 22. ...

These are the names of the candidates:- ... M. W. Carr, Blaina; ...

From The Monthly chronicle of North-country lore and legend (microform) by Jubilee Exhibition (1887 : Newcastle upon Tyne, England) Volume 2 Published 1888 Page 141)

Mr. Mark William Carr, engineer, died suddenly on 5 February 1888, at Morelia, Mexico, whither he had gone to examine and report on some mines. Mr. Carr, who was a son of the late Mr. John Thomas Carr, a former Sheriff of Newcastle, was sixty-six years of age, and was a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

From The History of The Family of Carr of Woodhall, Lesbury, Eshott, and Hetton Volume 3 by R.E. Carr C.E. Carr Rev. T.W. Carr Published 1899 Page 167 and Mark William Carr obituary

(Excerpt Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Volume 93, Session 1887-88, Part 3)

Mark William Carr died suddenly at Morelia, in Mexico, on 5 February 1888, whither he had gone to examine and report on some silver mines, on behalf of parties in England.

Mr. Carr was born in the year 1822, at North Shields, and was the son of the late John Thomas Carr, who became Russian Consul and Sheriff of Newcastle-on-Tyne. He was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Eskdale Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX 54.982896, -1.608864 [1830s location?] in Newcastle, and in the year 1837 he entered the works of Messrs. Robert Stephenson and Co., where he served an apprenticeship of six years in the shops and drawing-office of that establishment.

He then proceeded [about 1843] to the University of Glasgow Old College, now 140 High Street, Glasgow G1 1QF 55.85917, -4.24028, where, under the guidance of Professor Gordon, he prosecuted scientific studies bearing on engineering.

On leaving Glasgow he obtained an appointment as Resident Engineer for the construction of the Syston and Peterborough Railway, under Messrs. Liddell and Gordon, who were the Engineers of the Company.

He afterwards, under the same gentlemen, became Resident Engineer of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway, which included the construction of the well-known Crumlin Viaduct 51.6804, -3.1396, one of the most novel constructions of the time, being entirely of iron, including the piers, and about 200 feet in height over the valley. Mr. Carr remained on this line after it was opened, occupying the positions of Resident Engineer and of Locomotive Superintendent, for which his early training admirably fitted him.

In 1858 he was appointed Chief Engineer of the Great Southern of India Railway, on the recommendation of George B. Bruce, President Inst. C.E., Consulting Engineer of that railway.

Five years later [about 1863] he was appointed Chief Contractor’s Agent by Waring Brothers and Hunt, during the construction of the Allahabad and Jubbulpore (Jabalpur) branch of the East Indian Railway. Prayagraj Junction railway station, Leader Road, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India 25.4460, 81.8289 Jabalpur Junction railway station, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India 23.16472, 79.95111

After ten years’ residence in India, [until about 1868] Mr. Carr returned to England, and accepted an appointment as Engineer for the contractors of the Grosswardein and Klausenburg Railway in Hungary. [Footnote:] Oradea German: Großwardein 47.07222, 21.92111 Cluj-Napoca German: Klausenburg 46.767, 23.583

In 1873 he became General Manager of the Rio Tinto Mining Company in Spain Minas de Riotinto, Huelva, Andalucía, Spain 37.6947137, -6.5940364. These mines, which had been worked by the Romans, had long remained unused. It was Mr. Carr's duty to lay out a plan for developing this important property that would admit of the enormous output which has subsequently been attained. This he did with such skill and judgment that no alteration in principle has to this day been introduced. For six years [to about 1879] Mr. Carr retained this position, with credit to himself and benefit to the Rio Tinto Company.

Mr. Carr on various occasions went on professional engagements to Chili and to Russia, to examine and report on railway and other engineering works in those countries. For about five years he was Managing Director in actual charge of the Blaina Iron Works.

Mr. Carr was elected a Member of this Institution on the 8 January 1861, and took an intelligent interest in its affairs. Throughout life he was distinguished by calm judgment, stainless integrity, and a power of securing the confidence of those whom he served and those who acted under him, which rendered his services in conducting large works very valuable, and dying left his memory dear to a large number of professional friends.

From British Newspaper Archive: Newcastle Chronicle Saturday, 18 February 1888 Page 6 Death Mr. Mark W. Carr, M.I.C.E.

Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico 19.76833, -101.18944 We learn that Mr. Mark William Carr, M.I.C.E., died suddenly from heart disease at Morelia, Mexico, on Sunday, 5 February 1888 [inst.], whither he had gone to examine and report on some mines reported to be very valuable. He was the son of the late Mr. John Thomas Carr, Russian Consul and ex-Sheriff of Newcastle.

Early in life, in 1837, he entered the engineering establishment of Robert Stephenson, where he had as a fellow apprentice Mr. George Barclay Bruce, the distinguished civil engineer and the present president of the Institution of Civil Engineers, who for fifty years has been the friend of the deceased. After his apprenticeship he proceeded to the University of Glasgow (1843), where, under the able guidance of Professor Gordon, he prosecuted his scientific studies.

On leaving college he obtained an appointment under Messrs. Liddell and Gordon, the contractors for the construction of the Syston and Peterborough Railway. He afterwards (1852) became constructing engineer-in-chief chief of the Newport, Abergavenny, and Hereford Railway, and in this connection superintended the construction of the Crumlin Viaduct, one of the most celebrated works of the time, being wholly of iron and some 200 feet in height.

His services were largely sought, and he accepted an appointment in 1858 to proceed to India as chief-engineer for the Great Southern Railway of India, and five years later he was appointed chief contractor's engineer during the constriction of the Allahabad and Jubbulpore branch of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway.

After a residence of ten years in India, he returned to Europe, and became the superintending engineer for the contractors of the Grosswardein and Klausenburg Railway, in Hungary, on the completion of which he was induced, in 1873, to proceed to Spain as general manager of the well-known Rio Tinto Mines, which had then been taken over by a powerful English company. Here he renamed for a period of six years.

On his retirement from that responsible position, he was for a time connected as managing director with the Blaine Ironworks. He was at various times sent on a special mission to Chili, and on more than one occasion to Russia and elsewhere, to examine and report on schemes of railway or other engineering works in those countries.

Born at North Shields, in October, 1822, he, in 1846, married Miss Mary Raine, youngest daughter of Mr. William Raine, of Staindrop, in the county of Durham, by whom he is survived.

From British Newspaper Archive: Colonies and India Wednesday, 18 April 1888 Page 19 Colonial and Indian Obituary

The death is reported from Mexico of Mr. Mark William Carr, M.I.C.E., F.S.A., etc., late of Newcastle-on-Tyne, aged 65. Mr. Carr, who was well known in Trinidad and other parts of the West Indies, and was at one time general manager of the famous Rio Tinto Mines in Spain, met his death suddenly, from disease of the heart.

From findagrave: Mark William Carr (1823-1888)

• Name: [Mark] William Carr
• Born: 1823
• Died: February 1888 (aged 64–65), Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
• [probably] Memorial: Hampstead Cemetery, Fortune Green Road, West Hampstead, London NW6 1DR 51.55528, -0.20000
• Plot: Plot 72 Row 8 Section N [copied from spouse grave]
• Inscription: Aged 65 years

From Ancestry 18880328 probate Mark William Carr 4 Woburn Place Middlesex Blaina House Monmouth d 18880205 Morelia Mexico pr Mary Carr widow Thomas William C son woollen draper £2953

28 March 1888 probate of Mark William Carr of 4 Woburn Place, Middlesex, and of Blaina House, Blaina, Monmouth, Civil Engineer who died 5 February 1888, at Morelia, Mexico, probate granted in Principal Registry on 28 March 1888 to Mary Carr, widow, relict, and Thomas William Carr, woollen draper, son, both of 4 Woburn Place, executors. Effects £2953 3s.

From Blaina House Cwmcelyn Blaina | Out Of The Blue Artifacts

Mark William Carr, engineer and ironmaster, resident at Blaina House, Surgery Road, Blaina, Abertillery, Gwent, Wales NP13 3AY 51.7737426, -3.1593318, Blaina in early to mid 1880's. Resident Engineer, Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway. Drove the first engine over the Crumlin Viaduct during the weight testing examinations in 1857.

From The History of The Family of Carr of Woodhall, Lesbury, Eshott, and Hetton Volume 3 by R.E. Carr C.E. Carr Rev. T.W. Carr Published 1899 Page 203

Mark William Carr, M. Inst. C.E., born at North Shields Saturday, 26 October 1822; late Chief Engineer, Great Southern of India Railway, etc.; died at Morelia, Mexico, Sunday, 5 February 1888. (See memorial notice, Appendix II.)

[married] Mary (Raine), youngest daughter of William Raine of Staindrop, County Durham; born at Bretton, near Wakefield, Saturday, 8 December 1821; married at Greenwich Tuesday, 12 May 1846.

Image from The History of The Family of Carr of Woodhall, Lesbury, Eshott, and Hetton Volume 3 by R.E. Carr C.E. Carr Rev. T.W. Carr 2nd Edition created by Reggie Thomson Published 2023 Page 181