John Thwaites

Sir John Thwaites (24 May 1815 – 8 August 1870) was a British politician who was the first Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works and therefore the first leaders of local government in London.

Background Thwaites was a native of Maulds Meaburn, Westmorland where his father was a farmer. Thwaites therefore became responsible for the wholescale construction of a sewerage system, as well as street works and other infrastructure. He was fortunate in obtaining the services of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, formerly Deputy Chief Engineer to the Commission of Sewers, as the Board's Chief Engineer.

Thwaites persuaded the Government to give responsibility for the construction of the Victoria Embankment, which was part of the new drainage, to the Metropolitan Board. A Royal Commission had recommended a special body of commissioners take responsibility. The embankment was held up by delays in the construction of the Metropolitan District Railway, and eventually Thwaites went ahead without it; the railway was put in later.

Honours and death When the main drainage was complete in 1865, Thwaites was knighted. The Victoria Embankment was finally completed and opened in July 1870, a few weeks before Thwaites' death. His illness was caused partly by overwork which contributed to his problems from diabetes, but ironically, in view of his work on building London's sewerage system, Thwaites died of cholera at his Wandsworth home. He was followed in the job of chairman by James Macnaghten Hogg MP.

As a Leader, Thwaites was respected but regarded as somewhat formal. He was nicknamed The Stiff'un by the Board's staff. He tried to keep involved in all aspects of the Board and insisted that those who were too infirm or too old should retire. He was described as having "a stony gaze and a sepulchral voice".