William Haywood (engineer)


William J. Haywood was a surveyor and an engineer to the City of London Commissioners of Sewers. He was also known as an architect.

Personal life

William Haywood was born as the eldest of three children in Camberwell. His father was probably also called William Haywood. Nothing is known about his mother.
In the census of 1871 he was no longer alone and living in Maida Vale.
He died at 56 Hamilton Terrace, Maida Vale, on 13 April 1894.

Education

He was probably educated in Camberwell. There are records suggesting he went to Camberwell Grammar School. Later he trained with George Aitchison.

Work

With Joseph Bazalgette he was responsible for the enormous undertaking of improving the London sewerage system, which enabled the growth of the city. He worked with James Bunning on the Holborn Viaduct.
His main work is the City of London Cemetery and Crematorium. The facility was built near Little Ilford as a way of relieving the appalling overcrowding of London's church burial grounds. As the City was redeveloped the remains from many of its churchyards were reinterred there. Haywood was a pioneer of cemetery reform.
There is a small Gothic mausoleum, containing his ashes, near the gates of The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium.

Other activities

Haywood is suggested as one of the proposed anonymous authors of the erotic memoir by 'Walter', My Secret Life.
In 1858 Haywood was one of the founders of the Geologists' Association.