William Fletcher (1848–1918) was an English writer and steam traction engine designer.
William Fletcher was a leading designer of Victorian and Edwardian steam traction engines. some twenty of his engines survived in preservation, including Maynarch (Wallis & Steevens, 1883); Excelsior (Clayton & Shuttleworth No 34980, 1902), Peggy (Clayton & Shuttleworth, 904) and Victoria (Davey Paxman - 1907).
Many of Fletcher's original build books and drawings are held at the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL), University of Reading, Berkshire, UK.
Chronology
1848: Fletcher was born on 23 April 1848, at West Stockwith, Nottinghamshire. 1863: Apprenticeship with Marshall and Sons, Gainsborough. 1870: Draughtsman with Alexander and Sons, Cirencester. 1872: Assistant manager and chief draughtsman with Wallis & Steevens, Basingstoke. 1873: Married to Jessie Brown, daughter of a Baptist minister, Cirencester. 1874: Birth of Fletcher's 1st child; a daughter Lilian, at Basingstoke. 1876: Death of Fletcher's younger brother Robert, a gifted engineer, aged 22 years. 1877: Fletcher designed and tested Wallis & Steevens’ first steam traction engine; T250. 1878: Fletcher's 1st book, “Abuse of the steam jacket” is published. Works manager with Charles Burrell & Sons, Thetford. Birth of Fletcher's 2nd child; a son Conrad, at St. Nicholas Works, Thetford. 1880: Chief draughtsman with Marshall and Sons, Gainsborough. 1881: Birth of Fletcher's 3rd child; a daughter Hilda, at Gainsborough. 1888: Chief draughtsman with Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies, Ipswich. Fletcher re-designs all their steam traction engines and road locomotives. 1891: Fletcher's 2nd book, "The History and Development of Steam Locomotion on Common Roads” is published. 1895: Fletcher's 2nd edition of 1st book is re-printed, “The Steam Jacket Practically Considered”. 1897: Chief draughtsman with Clayton & Shuttleworth, Lincoln. Fletcher re-designs all their steam traction engines and road locomotives. 1898: Fletcher's 3rd book, “A chapter in the history of the traction engine” is published. Fletcher becomes a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 1900: Fletcher's article on the “Evolution of the Portable Engine” is published. 1904: Fletcher's 4th book, “English and American Steam Carriages and Traction Engines” is published. 1906: Chief draughtsman with Davey Paxman, Colchester. Fletcher designs all their steam traction engines. 1910: Fletcher retires from active traction and road engine design, aged sixty-two. 1911: Fletcher's article on the “Evolution of the Geared Locomotive” is published. 1918: William Fletcher dies at Cromer, Norfolk, on 22 December 1918, aged 70 years.