LINEHAM, Wilfred James

1858 - 1919

Wilfred James Lineham was born at Leeds, Yorkshire on 17 December 1858, son of George Thomas Lineham (20 January 1832-28 February 1914), a mechanic turner, and his wife Anne née Bone (1840-1902), who married at Leeds in 1854. In 1861, Wilfred was a two-year-old, living at 21 Derby Street, Leeds, with his parents, 29-year-old George and 21-year-old Anne, and his sibling sister Mary Elizabeth 4. After primary and secondary education Wilfred obtained his B.Sc. in Engineering at the University of London and obtained a scholarship at the now Royal College of Science. Wilfred was employed as a draughtsman by John Fowler and Co., of Leeds and in 1881 he took a similar position at Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co., of Elswick and later for R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne. In 1881, a 22-year-old mechanical draughtsman, living at Lady Pit Lane, Hunslett, Yorkshire with his parents and four siblings, Margaret Ann 19, Henry 15, Francis Stephen 12 and George Alfred 6. He married at Newcastle in 1885, a Scottish girl Rachel Somerville Waddell. From about 1880 was also engaged in teaching engineering subjects at Leeds, Dewsbury, Wakefield and at the School of Science and Art, Newcastle-on-Tyne, now the Rutherford Technical College and in 1890 appointed Professor of Engineering and Mechanical Science at the Goldsmiths' Company's Technical Institute, New Cross, London, a position he held until his death. In 1891, a 32-year-old professor of mechanical engineering, living at 2 Leyland Road, Lee, Kent with his 38-year-old wife 'Ray' and they took in five boarders. A watercolour landscape painter and a member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club 1903-1908, his first exhibits were from Esmond, Newton Road, Lee in 1905 when he had on show seven watercolours, 'Overchie, near Rotterdam', 'Cardinal Beaufort's Tower, St Cross, Winchester', 'Zaanham, Holland', 'Dordrecht Boats', 'Dordrecht, Holland', 'Near Rotterdam' and 'In the New Forest' and exhibited 34 works 1905-1914. In 1911, living at 21 Newstead Road, Lee with his wife and employed two indoor servants and on the outbreak of the First World War he was working in Bavaria but managed to return to England. A versatile man, being an able musician and his paintings were frequently shown at the Royal Academy and was the Author of various Engineering Articles, Lectures, etc., and published the standard 'Textbook of Mechanical Engineering' (1905). In November 1918, his health broke down from overwork, and he was ordered a complete rest. Wilfred James Lineham was of 21 Newstead Road, Lee when he died suddenly at 7 Bloomsbury Place, Brighton, Sussex on 17 April 1919.

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Works by This Artist