Biography:
1. Colonel By's name appears on many documents and Returns made to the Royal Ordnance Board from Waltham Abbey. Having studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, (John By, Builder of the Rideau Canal, p.6, Legett, Ottowa, 1982) was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in 1799 before being transferred to the Royal Engineers in the same year, serving in Canada and the Peninsular War (WO54/241). In 1812, By was appointed Officer Commanding Royal Engineers at the Royal Gunpowder Mills at Waltham Abbey and Faversham, the Government Magazines at Purfleet, and the Government Armoury at Lewisham, holding this post until 1821 when he retired (WO54/251). In 1812, By was given the important task of planning and erecting the Government's Small Arms Factory at Enfield (WO55/753). In addition, he organised the official fireworks' display to commemorate the Peace of Paris in 1814. He was recalled to the Army in 1823 and promoted Lt. Colonel in 1824.
2. In 1826 he was posted to Canada to carry out what represented the pinnacle of his career - the building of the Rideau Canal from the Ottawa River to the fortress at Kingston on Lake Ontario. The canal was built for strategic reasons, bypassing a section of the St. Lawrence River on the military supply route from Montreal to Kingston, which was vulnerable to American attack. By's operational centre, originally named Bytown, became the city of Ottawa (Legett, op.cit. pp.23/24). The Rideau Canal was completed in 1832, a masterpiece of civil engineering which is still in use today.
3. Colonel By died in 1836 at Frant, where he is buried.
