Francis Goold Morony Stoney facts for kids

Francis Goold Morony Stoney (born April 5, 1837 – died August 7, 1897) was a clever Irish engineer. He lived during the Victorian era, a time when Queen Victoria ruled. Francis Stoney is famous for designing special gates called sluices. These gates control water flow in rivers and canals.

Early Life and Learning

Francis Stoney was born on April 5, 1837. His family lived in a place called Arran Hill in County Tipperary, Ireland. His father, Thomas George Stoney, was a local official. Francis went to Queen's College in Belfast for his education. After college, he trained with John Macneill, a well-known engineer who built railways.

An Engineer's Journey

Stoney later became a manager at the Dundalk Ironworks. In 1865, a shipbuilding company hired him. He traveled to Peru to work on the Callao Floating Dock. This was a large floating platform for repairing ships.

After his work in Peru, he returned to England. In 1868, he went to India. There, he worked on the Madras Railway. He also helped the Chief Engineer of the Madras Navigation and Canal Company. This is where he became very interested in designing sluices.

Inventing Better Sluices

In 1869, Francis Stoney started designing a special double-door sluice. But he became unwell and had to return to England. He was sick for about two years. Even so, he kept in touch with his old boss. During this time, he designed and got patents for several sluices. A patent means he officially owned his ideas. One of his designs was an "equilibrium sluice." It could work even under 100 feet of water pressure.

In 1873, he patented his "cylindrical sluice." Twenty-eight of these were later used on the Weaver Navigation, a system of canals. Stoney's third patent was for his "roller sluice." This design was even more practical than his earlier ones.

New Projects and Health Challenges

At one point, Stoney was the main designer for a company in Glasgow. But his health problems returned, and he had to leave his job. In August 1876, he started working as a consulting engineer in Westminster.

In 1878, he designed a steam-powered ferry. This ferry won an award and traveled between Greenwich and Poplar. In 1880, he designed a pier at Hove. However, most of his time was spent improving his roller sluice. Around 1880, he patented a "double-door roller sluice." This was perfect for dry docks where ships are repaired. He also invented a "rolling flap-valve" for sewage systems near the sea.

Stoney's Sluices Around the World

Four of Stoney's roller sluices were put in place at Lough Erne in 1883. Many more were built by a company called Ransomes & Rapier. Stoney had become their works manager in 1887. These sluices were used on the new Manchester Ship Canal, which opened in 1894.

The success of the Manchester Ship Canal made Stoney's designs very popular. His sluices were then installed in many places. These included the Rhone River in Geneva, the River Thames at Richmond, and the River Clyde in Glasgow. Stoney also worked on designs for steam cranes. He made improvements to cranes that could tip things. Some of these improved cranes were used to dig out the Manchester Ship Canal.

Family Life

Francis Stoney married Annie Elizabeth Duncan on August 10, 1865. They had one son, Edward Duncan Stoney (1868-1898). Edward also became a Civil Engineer. He worked for Ransomes & Rapier in Ipswich, just like his father.

Francis Stoney passed away in Neuenahr, Germany, on August 7, 1897. He was 61 years old. His son, Edward, died a year later in Ipswich on February 8, 1898, at the age of 29.

See also

• List of canal engineers
• List of Irish inventions and discoveries