Basic Biographical Details

Name: Blyth & Westland
Designation:  
Born: 1893
Died: 1913
Bio Notes: The practice of Cunningham Blyth & Westland had its origin in B & E Blyth founded in 1848 by Benjamin Hall Blyth who took his brother Edward Lawrence Ireland Blyth into partnership in 1854. They quickly established a reputation as consulting engineers. Work flowed in from the Caledonian, Glasgow & South Western, Scottish Central, Dundee & Perth, Great North of Scotland and Portpatrick railway companies. They had a reputation for efficiency and thoroughness. Benjamin Hall Blyth died from overwork in 1866 leaving just over £56,000. The following year Edward took George Miller Cunningham, who had been the firm's chief assistant for many years, into partnership, the practice becoming Blyth & Cunningham. Benjamin Hall Blyth's eldest son (also Benjamin Hall Blyth) joined the partnership in 1871, having graduated MA at Edinburgh University and served as an apprentice and assistant in the family firm since 1867. After Edward retired in 1886 to concentrate on Scottish-American investment, David Monro Westland, was taken into partnership. Born in Dundee in 1845, he had joined the firm as an apprentice in 1863 and had risen to the post of chief assistant. The practice title then became Cunningham, Blyth & Westland.

When Cunningham retired in 1893, the firm was renamed as Blyth & Westland. It remained thus after 1909 when Benjamin Hall Blyth junior's nephew Benjamin Hall Blyth III was taken into partnership, but adopted the final title of Blyth & Blyth when Westland retired in 1913. Westland died in Edinburgh in 1926.

The years 1870 to 1900 were the Blyth firm's busiest, mainly with railway work but the firm also had an important structural engineering clientele notable at the dome of the McEwan Hall.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 1135, George Street, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness   

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3Benjamin Hall Blyth II18931913Partner 
Item 2 of 3David Monro Westland18931913Partner 
Item 3 of 3Benjamin Hall Blyth III19091913Partner 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 61894North Bridge  EdinburghScotland 
Item 2 of 61896Glasgow Bridge  GlasgowScotland 
Item 3 of 61899Shiel BridgeArdnamurchan ArgyllScotland 
Item 4 of 61903St Andrews Castle, sea defencesSt Andrews FifeScotlandBulwark along north front from Sea Tower to Kitchen Tower - Westland responsible
Item 5 of 61906Kincardine-Dunfermline Railway  FifeScotland 
Item 6 of 61907Methil Harbour and DocksMethil FifeScotlandDock no 3

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Blyth & Blyth1948A history of the firm of Blyth & Blyth, chartered civil engineers, consulting structural engineers … 1848-1948 Edinburgh: C J Cousland