Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

County surveyor for the western district of Limerick and for Co. Galway. Henry Humphreys was born in London on 20 December 1839, the youngest child of Griffith Humphreys, a Scottish-born haberdasher and linen draper in Oxford Street. He was educated in London and received his professional training as an apprentice with John Rennie & Co. of Blackfriars. After varied experience in Britain, Argentina and India, in October 1869 he entered and won the competition for the county surveyorship of the Western District of Co. Limerick, taking up the position in January 1870. In November 1873 he was transferred to the county surveyorship of Co. Galway in succession to SAMUEL USSHER ROBERTS. SAMUEL USSHER ROBERTS. (1) He was also surveyor to Galway town. In Galway his health, which was never robust, became 'much shattered by exposure to the cold damp air, and by the fatigue undergone in traversing the long distances of his extensive district'. He resigned in January 1878 and returned to London, later moving to Scotland. During his years of retirement he busied himself with various inventions. He died on 27 October 1891 at Cairnryan, near Stranraer. He is described as a man 'of much intellectual power, of active habits, and of great force of character', who interested himself in social and economic problems but was also 'very popular in society' on account of his 'genial disposition and musical ability'.

Inst.CE: elected associate, 7 February 1865; transferred to class of member, 8 March 1870.



References

All information in this entry is from the obituary of Humphreys in Min.Proc.Inst.CE 107 (1891-92), 403-404, which see for a fuller account of his life before and after his years in Ireland.

(1) Galway Vindicator, 12 Nov 1873 (B.O'D.).