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Dibdin HomePage William Joseph Dibdin in Historical Context

William Joseph Dibdin
and
Marian Aglio


Analytical Chemist
1850-1925

Son of T.C.Dibdin  - the Artist

Born at No. 25 The Polygon, Somers Towns, London, 
On Monday Dec 9, 1850. 
Registered in the Parish of St. Pancras at the Parish
  Church. 

Married to Marian Aglio 

05 Sep 1878 at All Souls Hampstead

and had 10 children

Family Tree of W.J.Dibdin's Descendants

Link to Graves and Headstones 

Details of Family Burials

Observations regarding  WJD's family

William Joseph Dibdin [1]

 

Photograph of LCC dinner held for William Joseph Dibdin  

Summary of the Offspring of William Joseph Dibdin

William Joseph Dibdin in Historical Context

New information available in 2010


Links to other related information
Royal Commission 1888 To inquire into and report upon the working of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and into the irregularities
Sewer Wars  By Christopher Hamlin
Radial Photometry  
   
   

 

In 1867, 23 Oct, at the age of 16, William Joseph sailed in "Flying Cloud" from Gravesend, arriving at Brisbane, Australia 6 Feb 1868. He then went the steamer "Leichhardt" on 10 Feb 1868, via Maryborough and Gladstone, to join his brother, Robert Lowes Dibdin, at Rockhampton, arriving there 15 Feb 1868. He assisted in his brother's agency business and he was still there in 1872, but returned to England not long afterwards to a career in industrial chemistry. [2]

1878 at the age of 28 William Joseph married Marian Aglio at All Soul's Church, Hampstead, London.

1881 census he was living in Hammersmith, age 30 born St Pancras, occupation analytical chemist, wife: Marianne [3] Dibdin, aged 30, born St. Pancras, daughter Ethel Margaret aged 1. Living with them Marianne’s sister Mysie E. Mary Aglio, aged 28.

1882-1897 - Chief of Chemical and Gas Department, Metropolitan Board of Works and London County Council. The Metropolitan Board of Works was under legal pressure to end the sewage contamination of the Thames estuary. It was suggested by August Dupre that the controlled oxidation by bacteria of decomposable substances might be made the basis of a process of sewage treatment. Dibdin, a chemist, carried out a series of experiments initiated by Dupre, which led in the early 1890s to the development of the contact filter, one of the first successful forms of biological sewage treatment. [4]

1891 census – living Sutton, Epson, Surrey, aged 40, born St. Pancras, occupation analytical chemist, wife Marian aged 40, children: Ethel Margaret 11, Marian Alice 8, Reginald Aglio 7, Augustine 5, Leticia Frances 4, Frederick Joseph A. 2, Christine 1

W.J. Dibdin was in 1896 chairman of the Sutton Urban Council As the inventor of the bacteriological system of treating sewage, he achieved fame, and in that fame Sutton shared, for it was the first place to use the system, which is described as the "double contact bacterial system." The efficacy of the system was soon recognized, and it was installed in other localities. [5]

Abstract of GB190316851

16,851. Dibdin, W. J. July 31. Sewage and foul waters, treating; bacteriological processes. - Sedimentation tanks for treating sewage &c. are packed with plates arranged horizontally or inclined and kept apart by suitable distance - p i e c e s. The packing may consist of glazed earthenware plates a, formed with with ribs a', or of layers of slate, kept apart by slate fragments, gravel, or the like. To clean the tank, the plates are lifted out and scraped or flushed with water or steam. The plates are preferably arched so as to entrap a small quantity of air.

Data supplied from the esp@cenet database - Worldwide

 

One major project with Slate Beds was at Netherne Hospital which have now recently been demolished. 
Opinions from other Engineers of the time regarding the Slate Bed process.

Some Dates and Places

1879-82 St Stephen's Ave Shepherd's Bush

1883-85 18 Union Rd Tuffnell Park

1885-88 Mayfield, 112 Grange Rd Sutton

1897 – Left his job on Metropolitan Board of Works and went into private business.

1901 census   Mayfield, 112 Grange Rd Sutton 

1909/10  He lived in a house called Purleybury for a couple of years with wife and son Augustine who died at that time. (Road exists in 2010)

Photographs of Mayfield and Purleybury

Purleybury

More of Purleybury

He had an office in Town, over some of the period, 2 Edinburgh Mansions Howick Place Victoria Street Westminster (Road exists in 2010)

1916 The family and his Laboratory was at Chelton House Burdon Lane Belmont Sutton (Road exists in 2010) 

In 1919 his address was: W.J. Dibdin, Esq. 31 Idmiston Road West Norwood, London 
             Evidence is they moved in mid 1917

He lived also at St John's Wood for a while, probably in his younger days, and later in Putney for a time.


DIBDIN, William Joseph, Analytical and consulting Chemist; b. London, 1850; y. s. of Thomas Colman Dibdin; m. 1878, Marian, 2nd d. of Augustine Aglio; three s. five d. Educ: privately. Formerly Chief of Chemical and Gas Department, Metropolitan Board of Works and London County Council, 1882-97; Fellow of Institute of Chemistry, Chemical society, Royal Sanitary Institute, Royal Microscopical society; Past President of Institute of Sanitary engineers and of association of Managers of Sewage disposal Works; Past Vice-President of Society of Public analysts; Inventions, etc.; utilization of micro-organisms for purification of sewage in contact and slate beds; Board of Trade standard pentane argand; radial photometer; Dibdin’s hand photometer. In private practice since 1897. Publications: Practical Photometry; Purification of Sewage and Water; Lime, Mortar, and Cement; Public Lighting; editor and part author vol. iv. Churchill’s Chemical Technology; Composition and Strength of Mortars (research for and published by Royal Institute of British Architects); Papers (48), including Purification of Thames (1897 Journal Inst. C.E.), London Water Supply (Journal Soc. Chem. Ind., 1897), Recent Improvements in Biological Treatment of Sewage (ibid. 1906). Recreations: golf, photography. Address: 31 Idmiston Road, West Norwood, S.E. 27. T: Streatham 140. (Died 9 June 1925). [6]

Members of Dibdin Family in World War 1
Higher Resolution picture

William Joseph Dibdin [7, 8]

Education

Private study (worked with Wanklyn)
1880 Fellow, Institute of Chemistry GBI

Career:
1876 - 0 Chemist, London & General Water Purifying Co.
1877 - 1882 Chemist, Atkins & Co. (Hydraulic engineering)
1882 - 1883 Assistant Chemist, g London (Board of Works)
1883 - 1897 Chief Chemist, g London (Board of Works)
1897 - 0 Analytical & Consulting Chemist, Self- London (Sewage)

Memberships and Roles
Member of the Association of Managers of Sewage Disposal Works
Fellow of the Chemical Society of London (1880 - 0)
Council Member of the Institute of Chemistry GBI (1894-1897 & 1900-1903)
Member and Vice president of the Institute of Sanitary Engineers
Member of the Royal Microscopical Society
Member of the Royal Sanitary Institute
Member of the Society of Chemical Industry (1881 - 0)
Member & Vice-President of the Society of Public Analysts
Member of the Society of Chemical Analysts

William Joseph Dibdin wrote a number of books
Practical Photometry - A Guide to the Study of the Measurement of Light 1889
Lime, Mortar & Cement   with Artificial Stone and Asphalt 1899
Purification of Sewage and Water 1897
Public Lighting by Gas and Electricity 1902
The Composition and Strength of Mortars 1911

 

WILLIAM JOSEPH DIBDIN - On the 9th June, passed away peacefully, after a short illness, at 31 Idmiston Road, West Norwood, William Joseph Dibdin, F.C.I, F.C.S., aged 74. Service at All Saints, West Dulwich, to-morrow (Friday) at 11:30. No flowers. Friends, please accept this, the only, notice. [9]

Probate: of 31 Idmiston road, West Norwood, Surrey

Probate: London, 21 Aug 1925 to Marian Dibdin, widow

Effects £101-9-2

Last will and testament of William Joseph Dibdin of Mayfield Grange Road, Sutton, Surrey. Dated 24 Jan 1887, probated 21 August 1925. All goes to his wife Marian, also his trustee. If she dies then he appointed as trustees: George Michael Dibdin (brother), Letitia Margaret Aglio and Mysie Elisabeth Mary Aglio (sisters of his wife) all my estate and effects to be distributed equally between my children.

 

Marian Aglio

Daughter of Augustine Aglio Junior

b. 14 Jan 1851 St. Pancras, MDX

d. 17 Aug 1928 West Norwood, Surrey

July 1926 Mrs. Marian Dibdin was granted £125 on the list of Civil Pensions, in recognition of the scientific work of her husband, the late Mr. Wm. Joseph Dibdin, F.I.C., F.C.S. [10]

National Probate Register 1928

Marian Dibdin of 31 Idminston Rd, West Norwood, Surrey, widow, died 17th August 1928. Probate London 9th October 1928 to Laetitia Frances Dibdin, spinster & Rev. Arthur Gerard Cowham, clerk. Effects £154 6s 1d

From Dibdin History by Mary Bole

Information regarding the connection between Aglio Absolon and Dibdin

LCC Staff Dinner 1897   Chemical and Gas Department

Marian Aglio

Daughter of Augustine Aglio Junior

b. 14 Jan 1851 St. Pancras, MDX

d. 17 Aug 1928 West Norwood, Surrey

July 1926 Mrs. Marian Dibdin was granted £125 on the list of Civil Pensions, in recognition of the scientific work of her husband, the late Mr. Wm. Joseph Dibdin, F.I.C., F.C.S. [10]

National Probate Register 1928

Marian Dibdin of 31 Idminston Rd, West Norwood, Surrey, widow, died 17th August 1928. Probate London 9th October 1928 to Laetitia Frances Dibdin, spinster & Rev. Arthur Gerard Cowham, clerk. Effects £154 6s 1d

From Dibdin History by Mary Bole

Information regarding the connection between Aglio Absolon and Dibdin