ICE Wales Cymru has unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of James Walker, second President of the Institution and the Engineer behind the West Usk Lighthouse at St Brides near Newport.
James Walker took over from Thomas Telford as President in 1834 and ICE Wales Cymru saw the anniversary of his death as an opportunity to commemorate his connection with Wales.
As Consulting Engineer between 1825 and 1862 to Trinity House - the charitable organisation concerned with the safety of shipping and the well-being of seafarers since the granting of a Royal Charter by Henry VIII - Walker was responsible for the construction of numerous lighthouses around the coast of Britain including three in Wales. West Usk Lighthouse was his first, constructed in 1821 to serve ships using the Bristol Channel and the River Severn. He also constructed the lighthouses at South Bishop and The Smalls, both off the Pembrokeshire coast, and modified the lighthouse on the Skerries off Holyhead.
Ian Davies, Immediate Past Chairman of ICE Wales Cymru, unveiled the plaque on the Wales Coastal Path near the West Usk Lighthouse, which is now a small private hotel, with Trinity House representative Jim Veall. A presentation of a framed copy of the plaque was also made to the owners of West Usk Lighthouse Frank and Danielle Sheahan in the presence of representatives of Newport City Council and Newport Local History Society with members and the Director of ICE Wales Cymru, Keith Jones.
Ian Davies said: “I’m proud to unveil this plaque to one of the founders of modern civil engineering James Walker as my final duty as Chairman of ICE Wales Cymru, before handing on to incoming Chairman Geoff Ogden. I know he will continue to support the placing of plaques at locations across Wales where the public can be made more aware of the engineering heritage and history around them. Over the last ten years ICE Wales Cymru has placed over twenty plaques and information panels throughout Wales, marking important historical engineering sites or commemorating famous engineers.”
He continued:“I would like to thank Newport City Council for helping with the erection of this plaque and to Trinity House for their advice and support. I would also like to thank Frank and Danielle Sheahan for welcoming us to their lighthouse to commemorate the engineer responsible for its construction, James Walker.”
Richard Coackley, current President of the Institution of Civil Engineers was unable to attend the event, but said:"James Walker was our second President, immediately following Thomas Telford, and played a major part in the birth of professional civil engineering. The plaque unveiling event celebrated James' life, exactly 150 years after his death, which is very unusual. The plaque will continue to celebrate the part he played in overseeing construction of a comprehensive lighthouse network around our coast for the safety of our nation's global shipping fleet.”
Photos by Steve Pope Photography.
Top: Ian Davies, ICE Wales Cymru, (left) unveils the plaque commemorating engineer James Walker on the 150th anniversary of his death with Jim Vealls of Trinity House.
Above: The owners of West Usk Lighthouse Frank and Danielle Sheahan with the framed copy of the commemorative plaque, presented by ICE Wales Cymru with representatives from Trinity House, Newport City Council and Newport Local History Society.