Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

County surveyor for Co. Offaly from 1875 until 1900. Richard Barnsley Sanders, a native of Lisburn, Co. Antrim, was born on 6 October 1845.(1) He studied engineering at Queen's College, Belfast, obtaining the diploma in Civil Engineering with honours of the Queen's University, Ireland, in 1866. He received the BE degree of the Royal University of Ireland in 1878. After serving a pupilage under JAMES THOMSON [2] JAMES THOMSON [2] , Professor of Civil Engineering at Queen's College, Belfast, he was engaged from 1868 to 1869 on the construction of the Downpatrick, Dundrum & Newcastle Railway, and from 1870 to 1872 on that of the Belfast Central Railway. He was working on plans for the Belfast Waterworks from 1873 until 1874, when he competed successfully for the county surveyorship of King's County (Co. Offaly), left vacant by the transfer to Co. Tyrone of THEOPHILUS B. TRENCH THEOPHILUS B. TRENCH . He took up the post in March 1875(2) and held it until his death, which took place at his lodgings in Cumberland Square, Birr, on 13 February 1900 and was buried in Belfast city cemetery.(3) He was unmarried. His considerable estate, valued at about £33,000 was bequeathed to various charities, clergy and releatives.(4) His pupils and assistants included HENRY BROWNE.  HENRY BROWNE.

ICEI: elected member, 1875; delivers paper on 'Steam Traction on Common Roads', 7 March 1883;(5) awarded Mullins Silver Medal for same, 12 December 1883.(6)
Inst.CE: elected member, 2 February 1897.
Incorporated Association of Municipal and County Engineers: elected member, 23 April 1892.(7)

AddressL Cumberland Square, Birr, Co. Offaly, at time of death.

See BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

The fullest account of Sanders's life and particularly of his career as a county surveyor is in Brendan O'Donoghue, The Irish County Surveyors 1834-1944 (Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2007), 295-6. References and information previously supplied to the compiler of this database by Brendan O'Donoghue are initialled B.O'D. All other information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of Sanders in Min.Proc.Inst.CE 142 (1899-1900, Pt. IV), 380

(1) King's County Chronicle, 15 Feb 1900 describes Shamrock Vale, Lisburn, as his 'native place' (B.O'D.).
(2) B.O'D.
(3) King's County Chronicle, 15 Feb 1900 (B.O'D.).
(4) IB 42, 15 Nov 1900, 540. His will made provision for a number of bequests to charitable causes, including £100 each to the incumbents of the Protestant and Catholic churches in Lisburn, Co. Antrim, which suggests that he came from there; the interest on the residue was to be paid to an aunt in Devon during her lifetime, after which the capital was to revert to Dr Barnardo's Homes.
(5) TICEI 14 (1881-1883), 181-211.
(6) TICEI 15 (1883-1884) 30.
(7) Proc.Inc.Assn. of Municipal and County Engineers 27 (1900-1901), 362.


1 work entries listed in chronological order for SANDERS, RICHARD BARNSLEY


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Building: CO. OFFALY, BIRR, COURT HOUSE & BRIDEWELL
Date: ?
Nature: New.
Refs: The King's County Directory (1890), 164(illus.) (information from N.W. English)

Author Title Date Details
Sanders, Richard Barnsley 'Steam traction upon common roads' 1883 TICEI 14 (1881-1883), 181-211.
Sanders, Richard Barnsley 'The management, maintenance and cost of public county roads in Ireland under the Irish Grand Jury system' 1897 Min.Proc.Inst.CE 135 (1898-99, Pt. I), 258-271.