John Robinson McClean

John Robinson McClean CB FRS FRSA FRAS (21 March 1813 – 13 July 1873), was a British civil engineer and Liberal Party politician.

John Robinson McClean
McClean, wife Anna and their eldest daughter Mary Hall (Minnie)
Born	21 March 1813 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died	13 July 1873 (aged 60)
Nationality	British
Education	University of Glasgow
Occupation	Engineer
Engineering career
Discipline	civil engineer
Institutions	Institution of Civil Engineers (president)
Practice name	South Staffordshire Water Works Company
Projects	South Staffordshire Railway, Suez Canal

Early life

He was born in the Bank Buildings, Belfast, and was the youngest of four sons of Francis McClean and Margaret McReyolds. Francis was an ironmonger, his shop being the centre one of three located on the ground floor of the Bank Buildings, One brother (Adam) was a Civil Engineer in Dublin, while another (Francis), became an eminent dentist, practicing at St Stephens Green, Dublin. John was educated at Belfast Academical Institution and University of Glasgow.

Engineering career

Whilst still young, he offered himself as candidate for the Office of Engineer to the Belfast Harbour Commissioners, but was refused. Upon leaving the Board Room, he said to the then 'Secretary of the Belfast Harbour Board' Mr Edmund Getty, (an old family friend) “that he would let the Commissioners yet see what a man they had lost”.

With his partner, Francis Croughton Stileman, he founded McClean & Stileman, engineering consultants of Great George St, Westminster. Some of his positions were:

• Advisor on the Suez Canal for the British Government.
• Extensive works for Emperor Napoleon in France.
• Chief Engineer of the Plymouth and Dover Harbours.
• Chairman of the Anglo-American Telegraph Company.
• Chief Engineer overseeing construction of the South Staffordshire Railway, which opened in 1849.

After an Act of Parliament was passed to allow it, he took a 25-year lease on the railway, thus becoming the first person ever to be the sole owner of a railway. With the financial backing of several businessmen, he planned and built "The South Staffordshire Water Works Company" which piped fresh water to all of the Black Country. He was also the owner, with partner Richard Chawner, of "The Cannock Chase Colliery Company".

He was President of the Institution of Civil Engineers from 1864 to 1865.[1]

Political career

He unsuccessfully stood for Parliament as a Liberal Party candidate for Belfast at the 1857 general election,[2] the second time he had been rejected by his native town.

He was elected at the 1868 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Staffordshire,[3] and held the seat until his death in 1873.[3][4]

He was also Lieutenant-Colonel of the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps, a volunteer corps whose members serve as engineering advisors to the British Army.

Funerary monument, Kensal Green Cemetery, London

Later life

He died in 1873 aged 60, and is buried with his wife Anna, on the edge of the main path at Kensal Green Cemetery, London.

Personal life

He was married to Anna (1813–1877). They had five daughters and one son, Frank McClean. Through Frank, their descendants include Francis McClean, Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington, and the twelfth and subsequent Eliott baronets.

References

1. Watson, Garth (1988). The Civils. London: Thomas Telford Ltd. p. 251. ISBN 0-7277-0392-7.
2. Walker, B. M. (1978). Parliamentary election results in Ireland 1801–1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. p. 89. ISBN 0-901714-12-7.
3. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 455. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
4. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 4)