Francis Goold Morony Stoney
Encyclopedia
Francis Goold Morony Stoney was a Victorian era
Irish
engineer, noted for his work on sluice
design.
, the son of Thomas G. Stoney, a Justice of the peace
. He was educated at Queen's College
in Belfast
before being articled to John Macneill, a railway engineer.
Ironworks. In 1865 he was employed by a Clyde-based shipbuilding company to work in Peru
on the Callao Floating Dock. He returned to England before departing for India
in 1868, working as a contractor on the Madras Railway, and later as personal assistant to the Chief Engineer of the Madras Navigation and Canal Company. It was his involvement in this enterprise that elicited Stoney's interest in the design of sluice
s.
In 1869 he worked on the design of a double-door sluice, but suffering from poor health he was forced to return to England, where he remained invalided for about two years. He remained in contact with his previous employer though, designing and patenting several sluices, including an equilibrium sluice to work under 100 feet head. In 1873 he patented his cylindrical sluice, 28 of which were later used on the Weaver Navigation. Stoney's third patent was for his roller sluice, which offered a more practical solution than his previous inventions.
At the time Stoney was employed as Chief Draughtsman for a company in Glasgow, but poor health again forced him to resign. In August 1876 he worked as a Consulting Engineer in Westminster
. In 1878 he designed an award-winning steam-ferry which ran between Greenwich
and Poplar
, and in 1880 he designed a pier at Hove
, but most of his efforts were directed toward the development and promotion of his roller sluice. About 1880 he patented a double-door roller sluice, suited for graving docks, and also a rolling flap-valve, used in tidal sewage outfall
s.
Four of Stoney's roller sluices were installed at Lough Erne
in 1883. Many more, built by Ransomes and Rapier
(for whom Stoney had been appointed works manager in 1887) were installed on the newly-built Manchester Ship Canal
, which opened in 1894. The resulting publicity increased the demand for Stoney's designs, leading to installations on the Rhone
in Geneva
, the River Thames
at Richmond, and on the River Clyde
at Glasgow
. Stoney also worked on designs for steam crane
s, introducing improvements to tipping cranes, some of which were used to dredge the Manchester Ship Canal. He died at Neuenahr in Germany
, on 7 August 1897, aged 61.
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
engineer, noted for his work on sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
design.
Early life and education
Francis Goold Morony Stoney was born on 5 April 1837 at Arran Hill (sometimes Arranhill), County TipperaryCounty Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, the son of Thomas G. Stoney, a Justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He was educated at Queen's College
Queen's College
Queen's College, Queens' College or Queens College is the name of more than one institution, typically in the United Kingdom or its former colonies and dependencies.Most widely known Queens Colleges:...
in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
before being articled to John Macneill, a railway engineer.
Career
Stoney later became manager of the DundalkDundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
Ironworks. In 1865 he was employed by a Clyde-based shipbuilding company to work in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
on the Callao Floating Dock. He returned to England before departing for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1868, working as a contractor on the Madras Railway, and later as personal assistant to the Chief Engineer of the Madras Navigation and Canal Company. It was his involvement in this enterprise that elicited Stoney's interest in the design of sluice
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
s.
In 1869 he worked on the design of a double-door sluice, but suffering from poor health he was forced to return to England, where he remained invalided for about two years. He remained in contact with his previous employer though, designing and patenting several sluices, including an equilibrium sluice to work under 100 feet head. In 1873 he patented his cylindrical sluice, 28 of which were later used on the Weaver Navigation. Stoney's third patent was for his roller sluice, which offered a more practical solution than his previous inventions.
At the time Stoney was employed as Chief Draughtsman for a company in Glasgow, but poor health again forced him to resign. In August 1876 he worked as a Consulting Engineer in Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
. In 1878 he designed an award-winning steam-ferry which ran between Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
and Poplar
Poplar, London
Poplar is a historic, mainly residential area of the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is about east of Charing Cross. Historically a hamlet in the parish of Stepney, Middlesex, in 1817 Poplar became a civil parish. In 1855 the Poplar District of the Metropolis was...
, and in 1880 he designed a pier at Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
, but most of his efforts were directed toward the development and promotion of his roller sluice. About 1880 he patented a double-door roller sluice, suited for graving docks, and also a rolling flap-valve, used in tidal sewage outfall
Outfall
An outfall is the discharge point of a waste stream into a body of water; alternatively it may be the outlet of a river, drain or a sewer where it discharges into the sea, a lake or the like....
s.
Four of Stoney's roller sluices were installed at Lough Erne
Lough Erne
Lough Erne, sometimes Loch Erne , is the name of two connected lakes in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The lakes are widened sections of the River Erne. The river begins by flowing north, and then curves west into the Atlantic. The southern lake is further up the river and so is named Upper...
in 1883. Many more, built by Ransomes and Rapier
Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies
Ransomes, Sims and Jeffries was a major British agricultural machinery maker producing a wide range of products including traction engines, ploughs, lawn mowers, combine harvesters and other tilling equipment. They also manufactured aeroplanes during the First World War...
(for whom Stoney had been appointed works manager in 1887) were installed on the newly-built Manchester Ship Canal
Manchester Ship Canal
The Manchester Ship Canal is a river navigation 36 miles long in the North West of England. Starting at the Mersey Estuary near Liverpool, it generally follows the original routes of the rivers Mersey and Irwell through the historic counties of Cheshire and Lancashire. Several sets of locks lift...
, which opened in 1894. The resulting publicity increased the demand for Stoney's designs, leading to installations on the Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Richmond, and on the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
at Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
. Stoney also worked on designs for steam crane
Steam crane
A steam crane is a crane powered by a steam engine. It may be fixed or mobile and, if mobile, it may run on rail tracks, caterpillar tracks, road wheels, or be mounted on a barge...
s, introducing improvements to tipping cranes, some of which were used to dredge the Manchester Ship Canal. He died at Neuenahr in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, on 7 August 1897, aged 61.