Addison Langhorne Steavenson facts for kids

Addison Langhorne Steavenson (born August 4, 1836 – died November 7, 1913) was a talented English mining engineer. He spent many years working with the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers (NEIMME). He even became their President in 1893!

Steavenson was married to Anna Maria Wilson. They had five children: three daughters (Anna, Frances, and Hilda) and two sons (Addison Langhorne Junior and Charles Herbert). Charles followed in his father's footsteps and also became a mining engineer.

Early Life of a Mining Expert

Addison Langhorne Steavenson was born on August 4, 1836, in Darlington, England. He was one of three children. His father, Addison Thomas Steavenson, was a solicitor (a type of lawyer).

When he was just 19, in 1855, Addison joined the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. This was a big step for his future career.

He started his work at Woodifield Colliery in Crook. Later, he worked at several ironstone mines in the Cleveland area. He became very good at understanding the geology of mining in that region. He even wrote an article about it for The Engineer newspaper. After a while, he returned to coal mines in the Durham area. He became the Chief Agent for a company called Bell Brother Ltd.

A Career in Mining and Photography

Steavenson was elected to the NEIMME Council in 1867 when he was 31. In 1877, he became the Vice-President of the NEIMME.

Photography and Mining

While he was Vice-President, Steavenson visited parts of Spain. This trip gave him an idea for a paper called 'On the Value of Photography to Mining Engineers'. He showed photographs he had taken in Bilbao. These pictures showed how ore was shipped in large boats and transported using wire-rope tramways. He thought these photos were important because many members had never seen these tramways in action.

He also showed photos of local history and culture. He displayed images of Burgos Cathedral and homes where local people lived. Steavenson wanted to show engineers that photography was useful. It could help them learn new things and share important information with others. He also believed photos could provide evidence for how mining techniques changed over time.

The Institute members praised his paper. They admired his knowledge of mining and his skill as a photographer. Steavenson said his interest in photography started ten years earlier. He first took pictures of fungus growing underground in the Cleveland Mines. Later, he photographed mining machinery and tubs underground.

Leading the Institute

Steavenson was known for his intelligence and photography skills. He often wrote papers and gave talks at the NEIMME. His writings can be found in the Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers. In 1891, he won an award for his paper called 'Notes on the Present Position of the Question of Transmission of Power'. This showed how much the Institute valued his academic work.

Steavenson became President of the NEIMME from 1893 to 1894. He was a bit worried about taking the role because he was deaf. However, he accepted the position anyway. He strongly believed that hands-on experience in the mines was very important. He thought it was just as important as academic knowledge.

He was also famous for wanting to prove that conclusions from experiments were accurate. When a paper was read at the Institute, he encouraged everyone to discuss and debate it. He once joked that he "did not like to allow a paper to pass without objecting to its proposals." In 1894, Thomas Douglas took over as President, and Steavenson went back to being Vice-President.

Work with Bell Brothers Ltd.

Throughout his time at the NEIMME, Steavenson was the Chief Agent for Bell Brothers Ltd., a coal company. In 1901, Matthew Robson Kirby became his apprentice. Kirby was trained to be an Agent for Bell Brothers Ltd., just like Steavenson.

One of the collieries (coal mines) owned by Bell Brothers was Bowburn. On September 10, 1906, Steavenson led a special trip for students at Bowburn Winning. They went to see a mine shaft being dug. His apprentice, Matthew Robson Kirby, also helped with this event. A street in the village of Bowburn was named 'Steavenson Street' to honor his work there. He was also an Agent for other collieries, including Browney, South Brancepeth, Page Bank, and Tursdale.

Even though Steavenson was a respected engineer, his opinions were sometimes questioned. In 1906, there was an explosion at Urpeth Colliery in Durham. Steavenson reported on the accident. He believed the colliery was in excellent condition and that the incident happened because the workers were careless. However, his report caused a lot of debate among Institute members. William Cuthbert Blackett, another engineer, strongly disagreed with Steavenson's findings.

A Lasting Legacy

Addison Langhorne Steavenson passed away in 1913 at the age of 77. He died at Hollywell Hall in Brancepeth.

President W.C. Blackett spoke about Steavenson after his death. He said Steavenson was "a most fearless exponent of accuracy and truth." He also called him "a most enduring friend to all young men." Even though he was only president for a year, Steavenson had been a part of the Institute for his entire career.

His long-term dedication was recognized. When Thomas Douglas was elected president, he gave a vote of thanks to Steavenson. He said that Steavenson had given "an amount of time and energy to the Institute, not only this year, because he happened to be the President, but during the whole of the very long time that he had been connected with the Institute."

Publications and Papers

Here are some of the papers and publications by A. L. Steavenson:

• 'The Manufacture of Coke', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol.VIII 1860
• 'On Some Experiments with the Covered Ventilator of M.Guibal, at the Colliery of Crachet & Picquery, At Fremeries. By MM. Gille et Franeau, Mining Engineers. Translated and Read by A. L Steavenson', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XVI, 1866-7
• 'On Some Experiments with the Lemielle Ventilator at Page Bank Colliery', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XVIII, 1868-1869
• 'Coal-Cutting And Breaking Down Apparatus', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XIX, 1869–70
• 'Ironstone Mining in Cleveland', The Engineer, 18 September 1874, p. 219
• 'An Improved Method of Detecting Small Quantities of Inflammable Gas', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XXVI 1876-7
• 'On the System of Working Ironstone at Lumpsey Mines by Hydraulic Drills.', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XXVI 1886-7
• 'On the Introduction of Steel Supports for the Maintenance of the Main Roads in the Mines of Cleveland', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XXXVII 1887-8
• 'Notes on the Present Position of the Question of Transmission of Power', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. IV, 1892-1893
• 'On the Last Twenty Years in the Cleveland Mining District', The Engineer, 15 September 1893
• 'The Mode of Obtaining a True North Line', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. X, 1895
• 'On Some Dangers Attending the Use of Steam-Pipes', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XIII, 1896-7
• 'On Experiments with Bastiers Patent Chain-Pump', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XVI
• 'The Carboniferous Limestone Quarries of Weardale', Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. XXII, 1901