Studying the lives of civil engineers enables us to understand the engineering achievements of past generations and the contribution engineers have made to society.
It enables a holistic view to be made of the engineer as a human being, whether as a lover of poetry, like Telford, of music like George Grove, or as a parent playing with their childdren, like Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Since 1995 an editorial board under the auspices of the ICE Archives Panel has been researching the lives of the engineers of Great Britain and Ireland.
Two volumes of a biographical dictionary have been published (PDF link) covering the periods 1500-1830, and 1830-1890. A third volume, to cover 1890-1920 is underway under the editorial direction of Dr R.C. McWilliam.
For details on this project and potential contributions, please contact bdce@ice.org.uk.