author
Sir Richard Tangye
1833–1906
Best known as the driving commercial force behind the engineering firm Tangyes, he helped turn a family business into a major maker of engines, hydraulic machinery, and other heavy equipment in Victorian Britain. He also wrote about industry and travel, giving his life a wider reach than manufacturing alone.
1 Audiobook
Reminiscences of Travel in Australia, America, and Egypt
by Sir Richard Tangye
About the author
Born in Illogan, Cornwall, on November 24, 1833, he grew up in a large family and moved from rural beginnings into the world of industry. With his brothers, he helped build the Birmingham engineering firm Tangyes, and he became known especially for the business and organizing side of the company as it expanded.
Tangye was closely associated with major Victorian engineering work. Sources note the firm's role in supplying equipment used in the raising of Brunel's Great Eastern, and he went on to become a prominent industrial figure in Birmingham. He was knighted in 1894.
Beyond business, he wrote several books, including works on industry, Cornwall, and travel. That mix of practical engineering life and readable writing helps explain why he still stands out as more than just a successful manufacturer.