William George Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William George Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong (November 26, 1810 – December 27, 1900) was an English industrialist, the effective founder of the Armstrong Whitworth manufacturing empire.

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Armstrong was originally launched on a career in law. However, his major interest was in engineering. In 1840, he invented a hydraulic engine, following it up with other electrical and labour-saving devices, including the hydraulic crane. The first of these cranes was erected on the Newcastle Quayside and attracted wide attention. He also invented the hydraulic accumulator tower; a surviving example is some 300 feet high and dominates the docks at Grimsby.

In 1847, Armstrong founded the Elswick works at Newcastle, to produce hydraulic machinery, cranes and bridges, soon to be followed by artillery, notably the Armstrong breech-loading gun, which re-equipped the British army after the Crimean War. A rifled Armstrong front loading gun was also supplied to the Confederate Army in the American Civil War. This gun was designed to sink the new ironclad ships of the Civil War. It fired a 150 lb shell 5-6 miles. One was stationed at Fort Fisher, NC. Rifled and throwing a shell-shaped projectile, the Armstrong gun is regarded as marking the birth of modern artillery. The Armstrong 100-pounder breech loader naval rifle was, however, less successful. Armstrong handed over the rights of his guns to the nation, and received a knighthood. Such was Armstrong’s fame as a gun-maker that he is thought to be a possible model for George Bernard Shaw's arms magnate in Major Barbara.

The University of Newcastle was originally formed by Lord Armstrong in 1871 as the College of Physical Science, later Armstrong College in 1904. He was twice president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

In 1876, Armstrong built the hydraulically-powered Swing Bridge and in 1882 the works also began building ships. Armstrongs built great numbers of vessels for the world’s fleets, including warships, complete with armament, for the emerging Japanese navy. Armstrong gathered many excellent engineers at Elswick. Notable among them were Andrew Noble and George Wightwick Rendel, whose design of gun-mountings and hydraulic control of gun-turrets were adopted world-wide. Rendel introduced the cruiser as a naval vessel.

Armstrong also supplied the original lifting gear for Tower Bridge in London. In 1897, the firm merged with Joseph Whitworth & Co, later becoming Vickers Armstrong Ltd..

Armstrong guns played a major role in the decisive naval battle of Tsushima during the Russo-Japanese war. The 'Japanese Nelson' Admiral Togo visited Newcastle in 1911, staying with Sir Andrew and Lady Noble.

In World War I, the 60-pounder gun had a fine reputation, while the 18-pounder, 'the backbone of the British artillery effort’ was produced in the main by Armstrongs, along with Vickers. Lloyd George had chosen a small group of trustworthy armaments firms to cope with the demands of the war and Armstrong Whitworth was among them.

Lord Armstrong's generosity extended beyond his death. He left £100,000 for the building of the new Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne. Its original 1753 building at Forth Banks near the river Tyne were inadequate and impossible to expand. Armstrong's legacy was matched by John Hall, a local merchant, on condition that the new site at Leazes be used.

From 1863 onward Armstrong became less and less involved in the day to day running of his company affairs and began to pursue other interests. He became particularly noted for his successful pursuits in the field of landscape gardening. This was initially carried out in Newcastle's beautiful Jesmond Dene, most of which he owned and where he built a house for himself and his wife in the 1830s. Armstrong donated the long wooded gorge of Jesmond Dene to the people of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1883, as well as Armstrong Bridge and Armstrong Park nearby. The later years of Armstrong's life were spent in his magnificent parkland mansion of Cragside, near Rothbury, now a National Trust. Designed by Norman Shaw, it is of romantic Wagnerian splendour. The house was the first in the world to be lit using hydro-electricity and visitors today can see the ingenious devices by which power is supplied from reservoirs high on the hillside - a thousand acres (4 km²) planted with magnificent trees and rhododendrons. The tallest tree in England is among the Douglas firs in front of the house. Here Armstrong entertained visitors from all over the world, including the Shah of Persia and the son of the Emperor of Japan. His last great project, begun at the age of 80, was the purchase and restoration of the huge Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast, which remains in the hands of the Armstrong family. Lord Armstrong died at Cragside and lies in Rothbury churchyard.