View source for Institution of Municipal Engineers

{{Short description|UK professional association}}
The '''Institution of Municipal Engineers (IMunE)''' was a professional association for [[Municipal or urban engineering|municipal engineers]] in the United Kingdom.  Founded in 1873, the institution grew following the expansion in municipal engineering roles under the [[Public Health Act 1875]] ([[38 & 39 Vict.]] c. 55). It was [[Incorporation (business)|incorporated]] in 1890 and received a [[royal charter]] in 1948.  The IMunE was a founding member of the [[Engineering Council|Council of Engineering Institutions]] in 1964 and by the later 20th-century was responsible for examining most British [[building inspector]]s.   The IMunE merged with the [[Institution of Civil Engineers]] in 1984.
== History ==
The Institution of Municipal Engineers has its origins in 1871 when the surveyor for West Ham, Lewis Angell, held discussions with other professionals about founding a society to promote the need for municipal engineers to work "according to principle and not policy".<ref name=history/>   The Association of Municipal and Sanitary Engineers and Surveyors was founded in 1873, with Angell as its first president.<ref name=seeley/><ref name=history/>  The association's first conference was held in 1874 and was attended by [[Joseph Chamberlain]], who was then mayor of Birmingham.<ref name=history/>  This conference became an annual four-day event during which technical papers were presented and discussed by members.<ref name=parsons/>
There was a large increase in the number of municipal engineers in this period, particularly after the [[Public Health Act 1875]] ([[38 & 39 Vict.]] c. 55) which required local authorities to appoint engineers with responsibilities for water supply, sewerage, waste disposal, street sweeping and general surveying.<ref name=history/>  In 1886 the association introduced its first examinations, known as [[testamur]]s, the syllabus of which included the principles of building construction and the law.<ref name=ley>{{cite book |last1=Ley |first1=A. J. |title=A History of Building Control in England and Wales 1840-1990 |date=2000 |publisher=RICS Books |isbn=978-0-85406-672-8 |page=117 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uMIUwcLAoEkC |language=en}}</ref>  The membership expanded to include [[civil engineer]]s and civil engineering surveyors following the [[Local Government Act 1888]] which introduced [[county council]]s with responsibilities in these areas.<ref name=history/>  Membership of the IMunE was not a pre-requisite for employment by a local authority, as such there was a wide variation in the competence of practising municipal engineers in this period.<ref name=ley118/>
The association was [[Incorporation (business)|incorporated]] in 1890 and changed its name to the "Institution of Municipal and County Engineers" in 1908.<ref name=seeley/>  Beginning in 1913 the institution published a monthly ''Journal of the Institution of Municipal and County Engineers''; other publications included ''The Presentation of Evidence'' - a series of monologues by GS Short and the ''Proceedings'' of its annual conference.<ref name=history/><ref name=parsons>{{cite book |last1=Parsons |first1=S. A. J. |title=How to Find Out About Engineering: The Commonwealth and International Library: Libraries and Technical Information Division |date=2013 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-4831-5968-3 |page=223 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FdogBQAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>  In 1922 the institution tightened its membership criteria, restricting admission to those who held an academic degree, membership of the [[Institution of Civil Engineers]] or who passed the testamur.<ref name=history/>  The IMunE introduced an examination for [[building inspector]]s in 1937, though passing this was not mandatory to secure employment in the field.<ref name=ley/><ref name=ley118>{{cite book |last1=Ley |first1=A. J. |title=A History of Building Control in England and Wales 1840-1990 |date=2000 |publisher=RICS Books |isbn=978-0-85406-672-8 |page=118 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uMIUwcLAoEkC |language=en}}</ref>
In 1948 the institution received a [[royal charter]] and shortened its name to the "Institution of Municipal Engineers"; at the same time the testamur exam became the only means to secure membership.<ref name=seeley/>  After receiving the charter the IMunE was able to award the title of [[Regulation and licensure in engineering|chartered municipal engineer]] to members.<ref name=seeley2/>  In 1962 the institution introduced diplomas in traffic engineering and town planning; it later introduced a diploma in administration.<ref name=history/><ref name=seeley2>{{cite book |last1=Seeley |first1=Ivor H. |title=Municipal Engineering Practice |date=1967 |publisher=Macmillan International Higher Education |isbn=978-1-349-00534-5 |page=8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8VJdDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>  The institution registered as a charity on 6 June 1963.<ref name=charity/>
In 1964 the IMunE became a founder member of the [[Engineering Council|Council of Engineering Institutions]].<ref name=parsons2>{{cite book |last1=Parsons |first1=S. A. J. |title=How to Find Out About Engineering: The Commonwealth and International Library: Libraries and Technical Information Division |date=2013 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=978-1-4831-5968-3 |page=222 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FdogBQAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>  By the following year it had 8,500 members, the majority of whom worked for local authorities in the UK or overseas.<ref name=parsons/><ref name=seeley/>  During this period it held more than 150 district-level meetings each year and maintained a scientific advisory service, library and number of science committees.<ref name=seeley/><ref name=parsons/>  The membership grew to 9,175 in 1967.<ref name=history/>  The IMunE's headquarters were at 25 [[Eccleston Square]] in London.<ref name=parsons2/>
By late 20th century the IMunE was responsible for examining the majority of building inspectors in the UK.  It supported reform and modernisation in this area but opposed any relaxation in the requirement for examination.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ley |first1=A. J. |title=A History of Building Control in England and Wales 1840-1990 |date=2000 |publisher=RICS Books |isbn=978-0-85406-672-8 |page=134–5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uMIUwcLAoEkC |language=en}}</ref>
== Merger ==
The IMunE merged with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in 1984.<ref name=archives>{{cite web |title=Guide to the ICE Archives 2010 |url=https://www.ice.org.uk/ICEDevelopmentWebPortal/media/Documents/About%20Us/guide-to-ice-historical-archives.pdf |website=Institution of Civil Engineers |publisher=Library and Information Services |accessdate=7 February 2020}}</ref>  The IMunE abandoned its royal charter but retained its constitution for members now within the ICE.<ref name=history>{{cite news |title=History of the Institution of Municipal Engineers |url=https://www.newcivilengineer.com/archive/history-of-the-institution-of-municipal-engineers-11-11-1999/ |accessdate=7 February 2020 |work=New Civil Engineer |date=11 November 1999 |language=en}}</ref>  The IMunE's registration as a charity ceased on 25 May 1993.<ref name=charity>{{cite web |title=The Institution Of Municipal Engineers |url=https://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=206115&subid=0 |website=Charity Commission |accessdate=7 February 2020}}</ref>
The modern-day ICE caters for municipal engineering by means of its Municipal Engineering Expert Panel.  This acts to support municipal engineers within the ICE and is the UK representative body at the International Federation of Municipal Engineers.<ref>{{cite web |title=Municipal Engineering Expert Panel |url=https://www.ice.org.uk/about-ice/what-we-do/municipal-expert-panel |website=Institution of Civil Engineers |accessdate=19 February 2020 |language=en |date=2 November 2015}}</ref>  The ICE maintains the records of the IMunE, including the first minute book (from July 1871) and complete sets of minutes from 1921-77 and membership lists from 1873-1978.  The publications of the IMunE are held in the ICE library.<ref name=archives/>
== Heraldry ==
The Institution of Municipal and County Engineers was awarded heraldic arms in 1931, which it retained throughout its existence.<ref name=surveyor>{{cite book |title=Surveyor |date=1931 |page=123 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DxBVAAAAYAAJ |language=en}}</ref>  Its [[blazon]] (formal description) is: "Barry wavy of six Argent and Vert, a Pale Sable, thereon in chief a Torch Or, firted, and enfiled with a Mural Crown proper, and in base a Winged Wheel Gold".  The arms bore the motto "Amenity, Progress, Stability" in English.<ref name=surveyor/>
The design of the arms represented the activities of its members:
*A green and white wavy field<ref name=seeley>{{cite book |last1=Seeley |first1=Ivor H. |title=Municipal Engineering Practice |date=1967 |publisher=Macmillan International Higher Education |isbn=978-1-349-00534-5 |page=7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8VJdDwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref>
:*Green representing parks and open spaces<ref name=seeley/>
:*White representing rivers and water supplies<ref name=seeley/>
*A black vertical dividing line representing highways and bridges<ref name=seeley/>
*A [[winged wheel]] representing traffic and machinery<ref name=seeley/>
*A torch representing education and public lighting<ref name=seeley/>
*A battlemented [[mural crown]] representing local government and building construction;<ref name=seeley/> gold coloured to represent the wealth generated by engineering works.<ref name=surveyor/>
*The layout of the overall arms represented town planning<ref name=seeley2/>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Civil engineering professional associations]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1873]]
[[Category:Organizations disestablished in 1984]]