Benjamin Hall Blyth (1819 – 1866)
Blyth was born in Edinburgh, son of an iron merchant, his two older brothers never made it past childhood. He trained as a railway engineer and established his own practice in 1848 – taking premises on George Street. The firm B&E Blyth remained here for 100 years. The firm were contracted to do work on many of the new rail systems being built across Scotland.
Blyth died from diabetes aggravated by overwork at home in North Berwick in 1866 and is buried in the Grange Cemetery (grave pictured above).
The firm survive to this day as Blyth and Blyth and his offices were the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage for over 50 years.