Bidder , George Parker , 1806-1878 , civil engineer

George Parker Bidder was born in Moretonhampstead, Devon. As a child, he was discovered to have an outstanding memory and a gift for mental arithmetic, which led to his being 'exhibited' throughout Britain; eventually, he was sponsored to study at the University of Edinburgh. After leaving Edinburgh in 1824, Bidder became a succesful civil engineer, working particularly on railways and telegraphs, and was an active member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the British Association of the Advancement of Science. His eldest son and grandson, both also named George Parker Bidder, were successful in the fields of law and marine biology respectively.