John Armstrong (engineer)

Armstrong was born in Ingram, Northumberland and, after receiving little formal education, became a millwright's apprentice in Bill Quay.^[1] In 1800 he moved to Bath and worked on several projects in the area, including the repairs to Pulteney Bridge and the construction of Bristol Harbour and Westgate Bridge.^[1][2] From 1821 he worked on projects in London and South East England such as Rochester Bridge and Grosvenor Canal.^[1][2] He was briefly the resident engineer for Marc Isambard Brunel's Thames Tunnel project but resigned due to poor health in August 1826, to be replaced by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.^[1] After his resignation he worked for Bramah and Co at St Katherine Docks and managing property development.^[2] He joined the Institution of Civil Engineers on 11 March 1828.^[3] In 1831 he became Bristol City Surveyor, a position he held until his death on 17 March 1854.^[1][2]