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George Wightwick Rendel

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483: 500:, which was notable for being the first major warship to depend in part for the protection of her buoyancy by a horizontal armoured deck below the water-line rather than armoured sides along the waterline. She was packed with other new features: her guns weighed 80 tons each; she carried the thickest armour ever to have been carried by a British warship, at 24 inches (61 cm); great attention was paid to her damaged stability to ensure she could absorb damage and remain upright and buoyant. 40: 296:. They had five sons before her death in 1878. He met his second wife, Lucinia Pinelli, in Rome, while serving on a design committee of the Italian Ministry of Marine. They married in 1880 and had three sons (Silvio Rendel, Florian Rendel and George Rendel) and a daughter. His youngest son went on to become the distinguished diplomat 315:
Working for his father, at first on the Great Grimsby Royal docks, then in company with his elder brother Lewis Rendel on the eastern breakwater and new Admiralty pier at Holyhead, he was well prepared for an apprenticeship to his father's great friend, Sir William Armstrong, at his Elswick works. He
345:, and treated his son as a protégé. In 1864 the Elswick Ordnance Company was merged with Armstrong's original company to form Sir W G Armstrong and Company. George Rendel was one of seven partners in the new company, and was in joint charge of the ordnance departments, together with Captain 553:. After Armstrong's death, the old acrimony between the Rendels and Andrew Noble came to the fore, with George and his brothers criticising Noble's management of the company. The dispute between the two sides was not resolved until several years after George's death. 424:. The design had an arched steel protective deck running from stem to stern just below the waterline. All of the vital parts of the ship were placed below the protective deck. The ship also had cork-filled cellular compartments to aid with buoyancy. The 341:, and to avoid a conflict of interests, he had no financial interest in the new company. George Rendel was one of three partners in the business, along with George Cruddas and Richard Lambert. Armstrong had been helped in his early career by 320:
for three years before completing his engineering education at his father's London office. His father died in 1856 and the brothers George, Stuart and Hamilton all joined Armstrong's company, while Alexander took over the family business.
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Rendel resigned from Armstrong's company in 1882, when Armstrong decided to make Andrew Noble sole manager of the Ordnance Department. In fact, Rendel loathed Noble, as did his brothers, who also worked for Armstrong.
367:, whereby Mitchell's shipyard would build warships and Armstrong's company would provide the armaments. George Rendel was put in charge of the new venture and he designed the early ships produced by it. These were the 493:
In 1871 Rendel was appointed a member of the British government committee on warship design. He played a major role in the 1877 design of the innovative 11,880-long-ton (12,070 t)
593:. He used a wheelchair for the last two years of his life. He died at home on 9 October 1902 and, although not a Roman Catholic, was at his own request buried at the 460:
Rendel worked on the design of large naval guns, using hydraulics to reduce the number of men required to work the guns and the space required. This was first tried on
566: 380: 764: 467:, which was able to have 38-ton guns fitted, instead of the 35-ton guns originally planned. His hydraulic systems were subsequently used in all 739: 744: 526: 594: 574: 522: 98: 432:. The Japanese navy in particular took several Rendel-designed cruisers, with which they defeated the Russian navy at the 292:
George Rendel married firstly on 13 December 1860 Harriet Simpson, daughter of Joseph Simpson, the British vice-consul at
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He was persuaded to rejoin Armstrongs in 1888, in order to manage a new armaments factory, built as a subsidiary, at
402:, and Rendel designed many of these. He designed a series of 1,350 ton unarmoured 16 knot cruisers for the Chinese ( 419: 418:
Following this, together with Armstrong, he designed the world's first protected cruiser, the prototype being the
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in boiler rooms, significantly increasing the power of marine steam engines at minimal cost in weight or volume.
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In 1863 he was elected a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the following year his paper "
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in 1871, and the order of the Cross of Italy in 1876. He was elected as a member of the
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Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, vol. 38, 85
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and mechanical appliances for working of heavy ordnance" was awarded the
468: 337:. Armstrong had been appointed as Engineer of Rifled Ordnance to the 293: 363:
In 1867 Armstrong signed an agreement with a local shipbuilder, Dr.
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Rendel, George Wightwick at the Dictionary of National Biography
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was built for Chile, and was later sold to Japan and became the
245:(6 February 1833 – 9 October 1902) was an English engineer, and 533:
in 1882, but retired from this post due to ill-health in 1885.
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as well as for Italy, Brazil and Chile. The first of these was
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George was the third (of five) sons of the civil engineer
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succeeded him as chairman of the company, now known as
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ships as well as the ships of several foreign navies.
545:, near Naples in Italy. In 1900 Armstrong died, and 269:and his wife Catherine Harris. He was named after 721: 698: 398:yard became well known for its construction of 277:, but ran away in 1849. His siblings included 670: 308: 585:Rendel retired to "Broadlands", his home in 577:in 1879, and became vice-president in 1882. 324: 694: 692: 253:industrialist and armaments manufacturer, 38: 551:Sir W G Armstrong, Whitworth & Co Ltd 329:In 1859 Sir William Armstrong formed the 666: 664: 662: 660: 481: 147: 765:Military personnel from Plymouth, Devon 689: 19:For his son, the British diplomat, see 722: 634: 527:Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty 389: 657: 632: 630: 628: 626: 624: 622: 620: 618: 616: 614: 556: 413: 316:lived with Armstrong at his house in 303: 249:. He was closely associated with the 512: 16:British naval architect (1833-1902) 13: 611: 595:St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery 352: 99:St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery 14: 776: 740:19th-century Royal Navy personnel 474: 439: 745:People educated at Harrow School 638: 525:to become an extra-professional 333:in order to supply guns for the 575:Institution of Naval Architects 287:Stuart Rendel, 1st Baron Rendel 164: 143: 707: 503: 1: 604: 569:. He was awarded the Spanish 455: 150:; died 1878) 228:Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel 123:Naval architect and engineer 7: 519:First Lord of the Admiralty 10: 781: 356: 310:Engineering apprenticeship 18: 298:Sir George William Rendel 260: 202: 195:Catherine Harris (mother) 182: 174: 127: 119: 109: 94: 71: 46: 37: 30: 699:McKenzie, Peter (1983). 580: 536: 331:Elswick Ordnance Company 325:Elswick Ordnance Company 279:Alexander Meadows Rendel 255:William George Armstrong 243:George Wightwick Rendel 32:George Wightwick Rendel 750:Lords of the Admiralty 675:. Sandhill Press Ltd. 671:Dougan, David (1970). 517:He was invited by the 490: 410:) and Chilean navies. 485: 448:pioneered the use of 386:, delivered in 1868. 207:George William Rendel 21:George William Rendel 571:Order of Charles III 283:Hamilton Owen Rendel 267:James Meadows Rendel 190:James Meadows Rendel 673:The Great Gun-Maker 450:forced-draught fans 390:Unarmoured cruisers 375:) produced for the 285:and the Liberal MP 234:James Murray Dobson 760:Burials in England 703:. Longhirst Press. 557:Honours and awards 531:Board of Admiralty 523:Earl of Northbrook 491: 434:Battle of Tsushima 414:Protected cruisers 304:Engineering career 755:English engineers 377:British Admiralty 359:Flat-iron gunboat 240: 239: 772: 714: 711: 705: 704: 696: 687: 686: 668: 655: 654:(requires login) 653: 651: 649: 636: 547:Sir Andrew Noble 513:Admiralty career 365:Charles Mitchell 271:George Wightwick 231: 217:Alexander Rendel 168: 166: 151: 149: 145: 78: 56: 54: 42: 28: 27: 780: 779: 775: 774: 773: 771: 770: 769: 720: 719: 718: 717: 712: 708: 697: 690: 683: 669: 658: 647: 645: 639:Lane, Michael. 637: 612: 607: 583: 559: 539: 515: 506: 480: 458: 442: 416: 392: 369:Rendel gunboats 361: 355: 353:Rendel gunboats 327: 313: 306: 263: 247:naval architect 232: 226: 225: 222:Hamilton Rendel 220: 215: 210: 198: 170: 167: 1880) 162: 158: 157:Lucinia Pinelli 154: 153: 141: 137: 134: 133:Harriet Simpson 90: 80: 76: 67: 58: 57:6 February 1833 52: 50: 33: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 778: 768: 767: 762: 757: 752: 747: 742: 737: 732: 716: 715: 706: 701:W.G. Armstrong 688: 681: 656: 609: 608: 606: 603: 582: 579: 558: 555: 538: 535: 514: 511: 505: 502: 479: 473: 457: 454: 441: 440:Forced draught 438: 415: 412: 391: 388: 357:Main article: 354: 351: 339:War Department 326: 323: 312: 307: 305: 302: 262: 259: 238: 237: 204: 200: 199: 197: 196: 193: 186: 184: 180: 179: 176: 172: 171: 160: 156: 155: 139: 135: 132: 131: 129: 125: 124: 121: 117: 116: 111: 107: 106: 96: 92: 91: 81: 79:(aged 69) 75:9 October 1902 73: 69: 68: 59: 48: 44: 43: 35: 34: 31: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 777: 766: 763: 761: 758: 756: 753: 751: 748: 746: 743: 741: 738: 736: 733: 731: 728: 727: 725: 710: 702: 695: 693: 684: 682:0-946098-23-9 678: 674: 667: 665: 663: 661: 644: 643: 635: 633: 631: 629: 627: 625: 623: 621: 619: 617: 615: 610: 602: 600: 596: 592: 591:Isle of Wight 588: 578: 576: 572: 568: 564: 563:Gun carriages 554: 552: 548: 544: 534: 532: 528: 524: 520: 510: 501: 499: 498: 489: 486:Plans of HMS 484: 478: 472: 470: 466: 465: 453: 451: 447: 446:Alfred Yarrow 437: 435: 431: 427: 423: 422: 411: 409: 405: 401: 397: 387: 385: 384: 378: 374: 370: 366: 360: 350: 348: 344: 340: 336: 332: 322: 319: 311: 301: 299: 295: 290: 288: 284: 280: 276: 272: 268: 258: 256: 252: 248: 244: 235: 229: 223: 218: 213: 212:Stuart Rendel 208: 205: 201: 194: 191: 188: 187: 185: 181: 177: 173: 130: 126: 122: 120:Occupation(s) 118: 115: 114:Harrow School 112: 108: 104: 100: 97: 95:Resting place 93: 88: 87:Isle of Wight 84: 74: 70: 66: 62: 49: 45: 41: 36: 29: 26: 22: 709: 700: 672: 646:. Retrieved 641: 599:Kensal Green 584: 560: 540: 516: 507: 496: 492: 487: 476: 463: 459: 443: 429: 425: 420: 417: 394:Armstrong's 393: 382: 362: 347:Andrew Noble 343:James Rendel 335:British Army 328: 314: 291: 264: 242: 241: 103:Kensal Green 77:(1902-10-09) 25: 735:1902 deaths 730:1833 births 601:in London. 504:Resignation 444:Rendel and 724:Categories 605:References 567:Watt medal 497:Inflexible 488:Inflexible 477:Inflexible 469:Royal Navy 456:Naval guns 53:1833-02-06 495:HMS  464:Thunderer 436:in 1905. 426:Esmeralda 421:Esmeralda 373:flat iron 294:Kronstadt 224:(brother) 219:(brother) 214:(brother) 203:Relatives 178:5 & 4 128:Spouse(s) 110:Education 89:, England 543:Pozzuoli 404:Chaoyong 400:cruisers 251:Tyneside 236:(cousin) 230:(nephew) 192:(father) 175:Children 105:, London 61:Plymouth 648:26 June 587:Sandown 529:on the 408:Yangwei 396:Elswick 383:Staunch 318:Jesmond 183:Parents 169:​ 161:​ 152:​ 140:​ 136:​ 83:Sandown 65:England 679:  521:, the 275:Harrow 261:Family 146:  581:Death 537:Italy 430:Izumi 209:(son) 163:( 159: 142:( 138: 677:ISBN 650:2010 475:HMS 462:HMS 406:and 381:HMS 148:1860 72:Died 47:Born 597:at 726:: 691:^ 659:^ 613:^ 589:, 349:. 300:. 289:. 281:, 257:. 165:m. 144:m. 101:, 85:, 63:, 685:. 652:. 55:) 51:( 23:.

Index

George William Rendel

Plymouth
England
Sandown
Isle of Wight
St. Mary's Roman Catholic Cemetery
Kensal Green
Harrow School
James Meadows Rendel
George William Rendel
Stuart Rendel
Alexander Rendel
Hamilton Rendel
Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel
James Murray Dobson
naval architect
Tyneside
William George Armstrong
James Meadows Rendel
George Wightwick
Harrow
Alexander Meadows Rendel
Hamilton Owen Rendel
Stuart Rendel, 1st Baron Rendel
Kronstadt
Sir George William Rendel
Engineering apprenticeship
Jesmond
Elswick Ordnance Company

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