14 Facts About William Unwin

William Cawthorne Unwin FRS was a British civil and mechanical engineer.

William Unwin is noted for his extensive work on hydraulics and engines as well as his close association with William Fairbairn.

William Unwin is one of only a few men who have served as president of both the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

William Unwin received an education from the City of London School and studied for a year at New College, St John's Wood, many of the universities being closed to him due to his congregational roots.

William Unwin returned to Fairbairn's as manager of the engine department in 1856, studying in his spare time to gain a Bachelor of Science degree by 1861.

William Unwin remained there for twelve years, serving as dean of the college.

William Unwin published Elements of Machine Design in 1877, one of his most famous articles.

Between 1890 and 1893 William Unwin served as secretary of the commission to install hydroelectric power generators at Niagara Falls for the Niagara Falls Power Company, a scheme which would result in over 75 megawatts of electricity being generated for the town of Buffalo.

William Unwin was retained by the company as a consulting engineer for the construction phase of the project.

William Unwin investigated the tensile strength of various alloys using the 100 ton testing equipment at the college.

William Unwin was elected as President of the Institution of Civil Engineers in November 1911 and served a one-year term.

William Unwin served as Presidential Chair of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers between 1915 and 1916.

William Unwin was regarded by Sir Alexander Kennedy as one of the few professors with a full knowledge of the practical aspects of the profession.

William Unwin died, at his home in Kensington on 17 March 1933.