xxvi Proceedings of Boyal Society of Edinburgh. 
Sir James Falshaw, Bart. By Bailie J. A. Russell, M. A., M.B. 
(Read January 6, 1890.) 
Last June Sir James Falshaw, Bart., J.P., D.L., who had been 
long and honourably known in connection with railway and muni- 
cipal matters in Scotland, died in Edinburgh, at the age of 79. 
He was the son of a wool merchant in Leeds, where he was born 
on 21st March 1810, the sixth of a family of fourteen; but it was 
in Scotland that he won fortune and reputation, and that he finally 
settled. At school he sat on the same bench with Sir John 
Hawkshaw under Mr Jonathan Lockwood, and at the age of 
fourteen he was articled for a seven years’ apprenticeship to Mr 
Cusworth, architect and surveyor. At this time he laid the 
foundation of his first success by mastering the subject of skew 
arches. He then became agent in charge of a section of the Leeds 
and Selby Railway for the contractors Messrs Hamar & Pratt, who 
subsequently appointed him to the entire charge of the construction 
of the Whitby and Pickering Railway. In this bit of work he 
gained experience of steep gradients, curves, and other difficulties 
which afterwards stood him in good stead. Thereafter he obtained 
the position of chief-assistant to Mr G. Leather, engineer of the 
Aire and Calder ^Navigation, Goole Docks, &c. During the seven 
years he was with Mr Leather he had a share in preparing many 
important engineering schemes, among which were the Leeds 
Waterworks, involving a tunnel of \\ mile, the Bradford Water- 
works, and the Stockton and Hartlepool Railway, of which Mr (now 
Sir John) Fowler was resident engineeer. When 33 years of age, 
just at the time when the great outburst of railway construction 
was in progress, he began business on his own account as a railway 
engineer and contractor, and achieved considerable success. He 
then joined the staff of Messrs John Stephenson & Co. in the 
making of the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway, which now forms 
part of the London and North- Western Trunk Line. This engage 7 
rnent brought him into contact with Mr Brassey and Mr Mackenzie, 
who were associated with Mr Stephenson, and with the first 
named well-known engineer he enjoyed a life long friendship. 
Under the auspices of this firm, Sir James Falshaw took a leading 
part in making large portions of the Caledonian and Scottish 
Central Railways and Scottish Midland Railways. In 1851 his 
