Charles Alexander Stevenson (1855 - 1950)

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Early life

Education

Professional career

Family life

STEVENSON, CHARLES ALEXANDER. ?-09/05/1950. Ref: 1759. Male. Profession: Civil Engineer. Appointments Held: Engineer, Clyde Lighthouse Trust. Schools and Tutors: The Edinburgh Academy 1866-72. Undergraduate Studies: B.Sc. Family: son David Alan Stevenson FRSE 1891-1971. Mother: Elizabeth Mackay. Father: David Stevenson FRSE 1815-86. Siblings: David Alan Stevenson FRSE 1854-1938. Other Family: Grandson of Robert Stevenson FRSE 1772-1850. Nephew of Alan Stevenson FRSE1807-65, Thomas Stevenson FRSE1818-87. References: RSE Year Book,1951, 61. Membervessels: M Inst.CE, M Inst EE. Date of Election: 03/05/1886. Proposers: Sir John Murray, Peter Guthrie Tait, George Chrystal, Alexander Buchan, (Billet 15/3,5/4,19/4/1886). Notes: Born 1855. Fellow Type: OF. Charles Alexander Stevenson MICE MIEE FRSE (1855,[1] Edinburgh – 1950) was a Scottish lighthouse engineer who built twenty three lighthouses in and around Scotland. Contents [hide] 1 Life 2 Family 3 Lighthouses of Charles A Stevenson 4 References Life[edit] He was born at 8 Forth Street[2] in north-east Edinburgh[3] The family moved to 20 Royal Terrace on Calton Hill shortly after his birth.[4] Born into the famous Stevenson family of lighthouse engineers, son of David Stevenson and his wife Elizabeth Mackay, brother of David Alan Stevenson, and nephew of Thomas Stevenson, he was educated at Edinburgh Academy 1866 to 1872[5] then studied Mathematics and Engineering at Edinburgh University where he graduated BSc. He joined the family business of lighthouse design in 1875 but remained unpaid as a family member until 1887 when his uncle, Thomas Stevenson died, whereafter he became a partner.[6] Between 1887 and 1937 he built twenty three lighthouses with his brother, David, and is noted for his experiments with optics. He also improved foghorns and created his own wireless communication system prior to Marconi's wireless.[7] In 1886, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Sir John Murray, Peter Guthrie Tait, George Chrystal and Alexander Buchan.[8] He lived at 9 Manor Place in Edinburgh with Ernest Maddox as his neighbour at 7 Manor Place.[9] He died on 9 May 1950. He is buried in the first northern extension to Dean Cemetery in western Edinburgh. The grave lies on the north path towards the north-east corner. His son David Alan Stevenson lies alongside. Family[edit] Barns Ness lighthouse He married Margaret Sherriff (1863-1945). His cousin was Robert Louis Stevenson, and grandfather was the lighthouse engineer, Robert Stevenson. His son David Alan (1891-1971) was the last of the family to enter the profession of lighthouse design. He also had two daughters. Charles Stevenson was born on 8 June 1772 in Glasgow and died on 12 July 1850. He was the son of Alan Stevenson, a partner in a West India House. The first mention of Robert Stevenson in connection with the Northern Lighthouse Board was when Thomas Smith, the Engineer, in 1794, entrusted Robert Stevenson with the Superintendence of the erection of Pentland Skerries Lighthouse. Prior to this in 1791 Stevenson had held a similar position in the erection of a Lighthouse on Little Cumbrae in the River Clyde (Clyde Lighthouse). This connection soon led to his adoption as Smith's partner, which he enjoyed until his appointment as Sole Engineer in 1808. Smith was in fact Stevenson's stepfather as his own father Alan, had died in 1774, and his mother had remarried to Thomas Smith.

During his term in office as Engineer to the Board from 1808 until 1842, he was responsible for the erection of at least 15 major Lighthouses. Of these was one which transpired to be the most important work of his life and one which undoubtedly is of notable engineering achievement, namely the Bell Rock Lighthouse.

Many Irish Lighthouses and Lighthouses in the colonies were fitted with apparatus prepared under the superintendence of Robert Stevenson. He was also an inventor of intermittent and flashing lights, for the latter of which he received from the King of the Netherlands, a gold medal as a mark of his Majesty's approbation.

Robert Stevenson's fame was not confined only to Lighthouses, as among other things he was responsible for the design of London and Regent Roads in Edinburgh, the Hutcheson Bridge in Glasgow, railway lines etc, etc.

Prior to 1808 Robert Stevenson assisted Thomas Smith with Cloch, Inchkeith and Start Point