John Ward Girdlestone (1840-1911) Bristol born engineer Development of Bristol’s docks was Girdlestone’s passion. In the 1880s and 1890s, he built workshops, roads and railway lines; brought in electricity, designed a new dredger and installed a pumping station and granary – many still in use today. All this work led to his dismissal because he was spending without proper authorisation. He explained himself saying he simply couldn’t help it; he loved his work too much!

Laura Murdoch, museum intern © Drawing by Stephen Welch