Jan Willem Louis van Oordt
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Jan Willem Louis van Oordt, (April 6th 1806 - 24th January 1965) was a Dutch Engineer, Statesman and Industrialist. He was Chief Engineer of the Royal Netherlands Navy from 1855-1871, a time of major technological and military development. Between 1851-1859, he was a Councillor for the City of Rotterdam, as well as a member of the cities chamber of Commerce and Industry in the years 1865-1875. He also held a number of directive and board positions within various companies, as well as both professional and cultural societies, including; Director of the Netherlands Steamboat Company (1849-1867), President of the Netherlands Society for the Advancement of Industry (1874, 1878), Chairman of the Dutch Main Committees for World Exhibitions (Paris, 1867 and Vienna, 1873), Director of the Batavian Society for Experimental Philosophy (Rotterdam, 1859-1874), Director of the Dutch Society for Fine Arts and Sciences (1854), Co-founder (1847) and board member (until 1854) of the Royal Institute of Engineers and lastly Member of the Royal Academy of Sciences (1855). Furthermore, he was appointed HM State Councillor on February 16th 1864. The Dutch Council of State was established in 1531, one of the world's oldest extant state organisations.[1]
Early life and education[edit]
Jan was a member of the prominent Dutch patrician family van Oordt, in the city of Rotterdam. They are most notable for their role as merchants and refiners of sugar, one of the largest and most lucrative trades in the world from the early 17th century. A key factor to the success of this business and many others was the port city of Rotterdam, one of the largest hubs in Europe for trade, even to this day. During the 17-18th, this was particularly due to the power and influence of the Dutch East India Company during the time. His father was Jan Willem Louis (1765-1844), who owned a number of businesses and industrial facilities in his early life as well as following the family tradition of brokering raw and refined sugar, later becoming the 'Master of Tobacco' (1823-1844) in Rotterdam, the official responsible for the inspection and approval of the products quality upon arrival by ship. His father, Hendrik (1710-1805), was the most successful member of the family, who built fortune and status through his mercantile activities, becoming a courtier and acquaintance of the Royal household of Prince William IV.
Born in Rotterdam on April 6th 1806, he began his education at the Cadet Artillery and Engineer School in Delft.
Career[edit]
[edit]
As an aspiring draughtsman and engineer, he subsequently attended the Shipbuilding School of Rotterdam as a teacher at the age of 20, in 1826. Excelling at his subject, he specialised in the teaching of rectilinear and nautical drawing, as well as mathematics. After a few years of academia, he started his professional career as a Constructor (2nd class) at the Royal Institute for the Navy in 1829. Further to this, he joined the Naval shipyard of Rotterdam in 1833 as a teacher of Applied Mechanical Engineering, as well as gaining the academic equivalent of a doctor in the medical field, Naval Engineer 1st Class, at the Industrial School of Rotterdam . Due to his extensive and astounding list of experience, he was seconded to the Department of the Navy in 1844. This was the start of the most prestigious era of his career.
After a decade working within the Naval department, he was appointed Chief Engineer of the Royal Netherlands Navy, in 1855, at the age of 49. This was a position he held until his honourable discharge in 1871.
Publication[edit]
In 1839
References[edit]
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