Peter Barlow (1776-1862) - Institution of Civil Engineers

Barlow’s two sons William Henry and Peter William benefitted from the grounding in engineering
science he was able to provide to become leading civil engineers. William Henry became President
of the ICE and is well know for the design of the St Pancras Station train shed, one of the wonders of
the railway age.
Exhibits
1811 An elementary investigation of the theory of numbers.
1814 A new mathematical and philosophical dictionary.
1821 On the effects produced in the rates of chronometers by the proximity of masses of
iron. Philosophical transactions.
1822 On the anomalous magnetic action of hot iron between the white and blood-red heat.
Philosophical transactions.
Publications include
1808 Articles for Rees’ Cyclopaedia, of Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences.
1809 On the motion of floating Bodies in running Water. Phil. Mag. XXXIII, 300-302
1811 An Elementary Investigation of the Theory of Numbers,
1814 A New Mathematical and Philosophical Dictionary.
1817 Essay on the Strength and Stress of Timber and other Materials. (six editions in English
between 1817 and 1867, and a French edition in 1828).
1818 Calculation of the Stress and Strength of the projected Iron Hanging Bridge over the Menai
Strait in Papers Relating to the building a Bridge over the Menai Strait, near Bangor Ferry. House of
Commons, 1819, 13-14
1821 On the effects produced in the rates of Chronometers by the proximity of masses of iron. Phil.
Trans., 361-390
1822 On the anomalous magnetic action of hot-iron between the white and blood-red heat. Phil.
Trans., 117-126
1823 An Essay on Magnetic Attractions
1823 Account of a new series of Electro-magnetic Experiments; with observations on the
mathematical Laws of Electro-Magnetism. Edin. Phil. Journ., VIII, 368-382
1823 Observations and experiments on the daily variation of the Horizontal and Dipping Needles
under a reduced directive power. Phil. Trans., 326-341
1824 An Account of the experiments made on board H.M’s .ships, Leven, Conway, and Griper, for
correcting the local attractions of those vessels
1825 ‘On the Force exerted by Hydraulic Pressure in a Bramah Press’, Edin. Journ. Sci., II, 293-
296; Trans. Instn. Civ. Engrs. 1, (1836) 133-140
1827 ‘Improvement of Achromatic object-glasses’, Phil. Trans., 231-267
1827 Some particulars relative to the Tides in the upper part of the river Thames, and of the
obstructions caused by the present (i.e., old) London Bridge. Edinb. New Phil. Journ., II, 49-59
1827 On the secondary deflections produced in a magnetized needle by an iron shell, in
consequence of an unequal distribution of magnetism in its two branches. First noticed by Captain J
P Wilson, HEICS, “Hythe”, Phil. Trans., 276-285
1828 An account of a series of experiments made with a view to the construction of an achromatic
telescope with a Fluid concave Lens, instead of the usual Lens of Flint Glass. Phil. Trans., 105-112
1828 Experiments relative to the effect of temperature on the refractive index and dispersive power
of expansible fluids, and on the influence of these changes in a telescope with a Fluid Lens. Phil.
Trans., 313-318
1828 An account of the preliminary experiments and ultimate construction of a Refracting
Telescope of 7.8 inches aperture, with a Fluid concave Lens. Phil. Trans., 33-46
1830 On the performance of Fluid refracting Telescopes, and on the applicability of this principle of
construction to very large instruments. Phil. Trans. 9-16
1831 On the probable electric origin of all the phenomena of terrestrial magnetism. Phil. Trans., 99-
108
1831 On the errors in the course of vessels, occasioned by local attraction; with some remarks on
the recent loss of HMS “Thetis”. Phil. Trans., 215-222