Charles Labelye

Charles Labelye (1705, Vevey, Switzerland – 1762)¹ was a Swiss bridge engineer and mathematician. Moving to England in the 1720s and receiving patronage from the Duke of Bedford and Earl of Pembroke, he is best known there for his work on the original Westminster Bridge (rebuilt in 1854–62) and his invention on that project of caissons as a method of bridge-building. This was praised on its completion, though during the period of construction he received heavy criticism from ill-informed observers, which worsened his health.

Other British projects of his were Brentford Bridge (1740–42), London Bridge (his consultations were sought in 1746 but not acted upon by the corporation of London), designs for a harbour at Sandwich (engraved by Harris about 1740) and reports on the port and harbour facilities at Great Yarmouth (1747) and Sunderland (1748, also with suggested improvements to the River Wear).

Labelye's Naturalization Act 1745
Act of Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
Long title	An Act for naturalizing Charles Labelye.
Citation	19 Geo. 2. c. 26 Pr.
Territorial extent	Great Britain
Dates
Royal assent	4 June 1746
Commencement	17 October 1745a
Status: Current legislation

A private act of parliament in 1746, Labelye's Naturalization Act 1745 (19 Geo. 2. c. 26 Pr.), naturalised him as a British citizen, but in April 1752 he decided to leave England for southern France. He is known to have been in Naples in 1753, and to have later lived in Paris. In Paris he met and became friends with the fellow bridge-builder Jean-Rodolph Perronnet, bequeathing him papers and a model of Westminster Bridge.