Nowości

170 years ago Robert S. Lindley was born

William Lindley's second son, Robert (Bob) Searles, was born on January 28, 1854 in Hamburg.His father had similar hopes for him as for elder brother William Heerlein.He was convinced that this profession could provide them with good financial security for the future and allow them to live a prosperous life. Father William Lindley sent him, like his other sons, to an English school. In 1880, at the age of 16, as wascustomary, he was employed in the family business.It is known that he was in Warsaw this year together with William Heerlein, where he had the best impression of the meeting with President Sokrates Starynkiewicz.

The chance to obtain a contract caused William Heerlein to prepare his younger brother Robert to become his representative in Warsaw.Robert worked on the preliminary design of water and sewage systems together with his father and brother.It was on his shoulders that contacts with President Starynkiewicz and negotiating the terms of employing local specialists rested.

As his future wife, Robert chose Sara Amalia Marie Ladenburg, three years younger than himself, the daughter of a banker from Frankfurt am Main, coming from a large family, partly of German and partly French descent.The wedding took place in Frankfurt on January 10, 1882.

Robert S. Lindley and his wife Marie, 1881

As a representative of the family company, Robert resided in Warsaw in the years 1881–1888. Young couple felt great in this city.“We like the climate here very much.I am pleased to say that Marie is feeling as well as possible.We went out for a visit in the evening and danced waltzes for two hours," Robert wrote to his father about his pregnant wife.Robert and Marie chose the elegant Smolna Street as their new residence.

William Heerlein assigned the English engineer Wood to help Robert."As proof of the technical talent of both these engineers, I can boldly point to the structures they have already partially completed in Warsaw, despite the great difficulties encountered (...) finally, I must draw attention to the fact that both of my assistants have a quality whose importance should berecognized not only by me, but also by people to whom the affairs of Warsaw are no stranger, and this is conscientiousness in the full sense of the word, beyond any doubt (...)" - he justified his choice.In fact, the works began already in 1882. For Robert, a period of real challenge began, launching further tenders, subsequent stages of work and other activities.

On December 7, 1888, Robert finally left Warsaw.First he went to Hamburg and then to Frankfurt am Main.Ultimately, he chose the town of Blackheath near London as his new home.About 1897 Robert S. Lindley moved to Godstone Place, Surrey, where he purchased a house and farm on the outskirts of the village.

Home in Godstone

Robert S. Lindley with Marie and son Edward in the carriage 

Wife Amalia Marie Ladenburg died in Godstone on March 10, 1925, July 9 of the same year, at the age of seventy-two years, passed away Robert S. Lindley.

As his grandson Robert Egerton wrote: “he lost the will to continue living, blaming himself and fate for the lack of a means of transport that could have taken her to the nearest hospital and perhaps saved her.The efforts of my mother, who took him with her to Italy to regain balance there, were in vain." Of the five children, four survived: two sons and two daughters. Three of them were born in Warsaw.

Katrin Lindley from Cologne

Happy Season!

140 years ago, on 20 August 1883, sewage works began in Warsaw

"To commemorate the commencement of the construction of the sewage system of the city of Warsaw on 20 August 1883, according to the design and under the direction of engineer W. Lindley and his sons, this stone was laid by the acting mayor of the city, general lieutenant Starynkiewicz."

A marble plaque with this inscription was embedded in the wall of the "A" sewer (collector) near the viaduct built in 1959 over the perimeter line on the axis of Julian Marchlewski Street, now Jana Pawła II. Currently, this plaque is in the Museum of Waterworks and Sewerage located at the Water Treatment Station "Filtry", at Koszykowa 81.

The Polish -language plaque has traces of damage from World War II.

About a certain monument, an error in the signature and the word sorry for unfair criticism.

Monument of William Lindley

The inscription SIR WILLIAM LINDLEY 1808–1900 on the pedestal of the monument, erroneously was transferring the knighthood of William Heerlein's son to his father.

Senator Vahrenholt spoke of "pioneering engineering work" by Lindley, who had done "groundbreaking work." He also reminded that as a Briton, Lindley had active opponents among the deputies of the City Council, who would rather give his position as an engineer, planner and advisor to Hamburg "to the right forces from the German homeland".

The Senator of the Party also uttered the significant word "sorry" [Das Sorry an Lindley] for the unfair assessment of his contemporaries, as well as for a number of difficulties and unpleasantness, as a result of which the discouraged Lindley left Hamburg.

Among the guests invited to these ceremonies were the descendants of William Lindley's children - Margret Julia (1927-2007), MD, and Alexander Caspar (1934-2021). - Margret Julia (1927-2007), MD, and Alexander Caspar (1934-2021).

Consul Yarnold stressed: “I am proud of the achievements of my compatriot. It was not a romantic job, but without a sewage system, no city would have made the jump from the 19th to the 20th century”.

Here it remains only to add that Lindley and his eldest son William Heerlein had to deal with the opposition in all the cities where they came to work. He was a pioneer in his field on the European continent, and his projects were characterized by foresight and panache, and therefore high costs. The outlays incurred on them returned after many years, and the health effects of modern water supply and sewage systems were visible almost immediately

The final form of the Hamburg monument caused a wave of discussion and a dispute between the offices of the Hanseatic city of Hamburg. The bronze sculpture, the final cost of which amounted to 110,000 marks and was covered by over seventy donors, was assessed by the commission of the cultural office as "artistically worthless". However, the support for the sculptor expressed by the mayor of Hamburg, Hennig Voscherau, prevailed, and the monument was erected. The monument, although controversial as to its form, has already grown into the cityscape, just like the former buildings of William Lindley.

In the memory of his contemporaries, William Lindley is remembered as "the man with sidewhiskers", for historians of technical progress he became "the patriarch of the art of engineering" and "a man whose achievements are a breakthrough in the urban construction of Hamburg".