On December 4th, 1895 Charles Thomas Lucas died at Warnham Court. In his obituary from the Institute of Civil Engineers [www.icevirtuallibrary.com] it says “No one who knew him, however slightly, could fail to be impressed with the nobility of his character. He had such a kindly, pleasant manner that all looked upon him as a warm friend.”
His obituary is in the Times on December 6th. He is buried at Warnham Church, Surrey.www.icevirtuallibrary.com
On March 6th.1902 Sir Thomas Lucas died at his home, 12A Kensington Palace Gardens. London.
Knighted July 25th.1887. In his obituary from the institute of Civil Engineers [www.icevirtuallibrary.com]
1901-1902 part 3, it covers much the same information as his elder brother’s adding that he suffered a disability from a railway accident which greatly effected his mobility, that he was interested in politics and the volunteer movement as well as his appreciation of opera. He is buried, along with his wife Mary and two of his children at St Giles Church, Ashtead, Surrey
In the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography there is a quote from a speech made at a volunteer’s dinner which said that they had employed the same number of men for upwards of 10 years who had never had to work an hours’ short time and that they had sometimes taken contracts at a loss in order to keep their old hands working.
They also, along with Sir Samuel Morton Peto and Sir John Aird worked to improve the lives of the navvies that they employed, and instead of giving them credit at the company store, as was the case with many other contractors, paid everyone in cash every Friday. They also supported many charities for retired or injured builders as well as building the Beaconsfield Buildings for the Victoria Dwellings Association.
On January 6th 1911, Sir John Aird died at his home, Wilton Park, near Beaconsfield Ref: the Times, Jan 7th 1911 thus ending an extraordinary partnership. Sir John’s life is well documented in the diary of his brother Charles. [Deptford, Toronto and Kingston. Grimsay Press.ISBN-10 1845300203.ISBN-13 978-1845300203]
The partnership of the Lucas Brothers and John Aird was actually dissolved in December 1896 Ref. The Times Dec 5th and John Aird and Co. was dissolved in 1913. Ref The Times Sept 15th.
