The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is one of the world's most respected professional engineering institutions and has attracted some of history’s most famous and influential civil engineers Throughout 2018, ICE celebrated its 200th anniversary, and hosted number of activities to show how civil engineering has transformed people’s lives and is safeguarding the future for their families.
Five members of the Lindley family were members of this prestigious institution. William Lindley joined the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1842, William Heerlein joined ICE in 1878, Robert Searles in 1881 and Joseph Lindley in 1899. In the 20th century Marie Lindley, the last civil engineer in the family, became in 1953 Associated Member and in 1972 she was the second woman in history of ICE to receive full Fellowship.
Short history of ICE
From humble beginnings in 1818, a small group of young engineers met in a London coffee shop and founded ICE, the world’s first professional engineering body. ICE asked Thomas Telford to become its first President in 1820. His appointment not only gave ICE a major boost – he designed and built all types of infrastructure and brought many new members in – but also played a huge part in shaping the ICE of today.
Since then, ICE has become home to many of history's greatest engineers and 200 years later, has grown to more than 92,000 members in more than 150 countries around the world.
More to read: https://www.ice.org.uk/about-ice/our-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institution_of_Civil_Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers, One Great George Street, London SW1
20 years have passed since our first meeting at the Polish Institute in Darmstadt in 2003, when Ryszard Żelichowski presented the first edition of his book The Lindleys. The history of an engineering family.In following years, the family reunion took place in Warsaw (2007), Hamburg (2008), Prague (2009), Frankfurt am Main (2012), Baku (2014, 2017) and Hamburg (2015 and 2018).
Munich 2023.
At the end of the pandemic mixed team of English and German families, started to think about a new place to meet.The choice of Munich seemed natural. One of our seniors, Ursula Caspar (1931-2023), who turned 90 in 2021, lived there, but due to the pandemic we could not visit her.Secondly, in Munich is located the famous German Museum, which William Heerlein Lindley co-organized with German engineer Oskar von Miller, sat on its Management Board and served there for many years as secretary-recorder (Schriftfüher). The Archive, which is part of the Museum, since 1920 holds materials donated by the wife of Sir William Heerlein, Lady Fanny Henrietta Lindley (1859-1931), in the form of Lindley Stiftung (Lindley Foundation). And least but not last, 170 years ago (1853) William H. Lindley was born. A nice, round date to celebrate.
Unfortunately, fate decided that Ursula Caspar left us in April this year, and before her, both her brothers Alexander and Dietrich.
Margrit and Lorenz Neubauer, Karin Deubner and Tom Lindley. A warm evening in the Hirschgarten, a Bavarian
specialty
After consultation with the Archive and the family, we agreed that we will continue our reunion. The best time to visit Minich, according to the Archive directors, was 12-14 September. The organization of our three-day reunion remained the responsibility of Eugen Deubner from Wiesbaden, who remains in permanent contact with the German part of the family. The English part led by Bill Lindley eagerly joined the project.
Eugen Deubner, Ben Lindley and Alex Egerton
Bill Lindley, Ryszard Żelichowski and Ben Lindley
The chief-goal was accomplished. After five years we met and enjoyed the re-union and had a great time together. The highlights were: the presentation by Dr. Röschner, deputy director of the Archive, some of the treasures of the Archive, including examples of Lindleiana collection and a witty and informative tour of the Deutsches Museum guided by Alexander Lucas.
We look forward to the next family reunion, possibly in England.