Bryan Donkin

Bryan Donkin FRS (22 March 1768 – 27 February 1855) was an English engineer and industrialist. Of his six sons, John, Bryan, and Thomas also became engineers.

Early life

Born in Sandhoe, Northumberland, his father was a surveyor and land agent. Donkin initially began work in the same business, and worked for a year or two as land agent to the Duke of Dorset.

Career

While working for the Duke of Dorset, Donkin consulted the engineer John Smeaton, an acquaintance of his father, as to how he could become an engineer. At Smeaton's advice in 1792 he apprenticed himself to John Hall in Dartford, Kent, who had founded the Dartford Iron Works in 1785. Shortly after completing his apprenticeship, he set himself up in Dartford, with the support of John Hall, making moulds for paper works, for at that time all paper making was done by hand. In 1798 he married Mary Brames, daughter of Peter Brames, a neighbouring land owner and market gardener, and a prominent supporter of the Methodist movement. By doing so Donkin became brother in law to John Hall, who had married Mary's elder sister Sarah in 1791.