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17 Facts About George Furness

1.

George Furness was an English Victorian construction engineer and benefactor.

2.

George Furness described himself as a "contractor of public works".

3.

George Furness worked all around the world, on railways, drainage, and brickwork among numerous other things.

4.

George Furness did a wide variety of jobs and contracts throughout his life, both overseas and local.

5.

George Furness took advantage of this new type of business; from 1842 onwards, he worked on the construction of major railways in the Midlands, Western and Southern counties of England.

6.

George Furness, being one of these skilled workers, was involved in overseas construction works in Brazil and France.

7.

George Furness worked on extensive dredging contracts in Italy for the next 30 years of his life.

8.

George Furness bought large plots of land in the area for his works.

9.

George Furness married Sarah Rebecca in his early forties and they moved into the Roundwood House in 1856, an Elizabethan-style mansion, which was originally built around 1836 for Lord Decies.

10.

When Willesden Local Board was formed in 1875, George Furness was elected to represent West Willesden and hence became the first chairman.

11.

George Furness was elected as one of the first representatives to the Middlesex County Council in 1889.

12.

George Furness sat on the Hendon Board of Guardians for many years, and was one of the original members of the School Board.

13.

George Furness was buried in Bandora Churchyard, in Bombei, India.

14.

Since that time, George Furness' health began to decline, as he suffered from bronchitis and influenza.

15.

George Furness is interred in the churchyard of St Mary Church, Willesden.

16.

George Furness sat on the Middlesex County Council and was a JP, MP for West Willesden from 1922 to 1923 and High Sheriff of Middlesex.

17.

George Furness was buried in St Mary's Church, across the path from his father and mother.