author
Alex. B. W. (Alexander Blackie William) Kennedy
1847–1928
A leading British engineer of the late Victorian and Edwardian years, he helped shape both engineering education and the practical growth of electric power, tramways, and other public works. He also brought a lively curiosity to the wider world, from mountain climbing to early photography.
1 Audiobook
Ypres to Verdun A Collection of Photographs of the War areas in France & Flanders
by Alex. B. W. (Alexander Blackie William) Kennedy
About the author
Born in Stepney, London, on March 17, 1847, Alexander Blackie William Kennedy trained first in shipbuilding and marine engineering before moving into teaching and consulting. He became professor of engineering at University College London, where he gained a reputation as an unusually clear and effective teacher of mechanics and machinery.
Kennedy worked at a moment when engineering was expanding rapidly into new fields. Alongside his academic work, he advised on electrical generating stations, tramways, bridges, and other major projects, and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1887. His book The Mechanics of Machinery was especially influential, helping generations of students and engineers understand how machines move and work.
He was knighted in 1905 and remained a prominent figure in British engineering well into the twentieth century. Beyond his professional life, he was known as a mountaineer and an enthusiastic amateur photographer, including for his photographs of Petra. He died in London on November 1, 1928.