The City of London Engineering Hall of Fame was conceived in 2020 by the Worshipful Company of Engineers, soon joined by six other Worshipful Companies with interests in the broad field of engineering – Ironmongers, Armourers & Brasiers, Shipwrights, Scientific Instrument Makers, Information Technologists and Water Conservators. A judging panel from these Companies selected the first seven inductees announced at the virtual banquet of the Worshipful Company of Engineers on 10 December 2020. Each year a select few outstanding individuals will be added to this pantheon of great engineers who have benefitted the City of London.

The reasoning behind the judges’ deliberations is confidential but decisions will be broadly in line with these criteria.

“City of London” is taken to be either born in the City of London (also known as the Square Mile), or predominantly associated with the City of London’s activities, or having been responsible for outstanding achievements in the City of London, thus enhancing the reputation of the City as a centre of excellence for engineering.

“Engineering” embraces a very broad church of inventors, innovators, applied scientists, entrepreneurs, designers, constructors, researchers, developers, educators, industrialists and professional engineers – anyone who has used exceptional creativity in the great art of engineering to improve the quality and sustainability of life for others. Inductees will be sought who represent, collectively, diversity of origins and the wide scope of engineering endeavour.

“Fame” might include recognition by peers through national or international honours; subject of biographies; had towns, universities, locomotives or ships named after; buried in St Paul’s Cathedral; featured on a postage stamp or banknote; portrait held in a national gallery; statue erected in a public place; had engineering units named after; responsible for a breakthrough in engineering theory; author of world-renowned engineering textbook; responsible for creating wealth and employment for substantial numbers of people; risen to high status in government; prime mover in an iconic engineering project; included in the Dictionary of National Biography or Who’s Who.

But there are also engineers who deserve far greater acclaim than has so far been accorded to them in their lifetime. The City of London Engineering Hall of Fame also aims to recognise the unsung heroes of engineering, past and present.

This video tells the stories of the first seven Inductees as they were announced.

Sir Hugh Myddelton

John Rennie

Sir Henry Bessemer

David Kirkaldy

Ludwik Finkelstein

Dame Stephanie Shirley

Sir John Parker