Francis, James Bicheno (1815–1892)

English-born US hydraulics engineer. He was active in the industrial development of New England.and made significant contributions to the understanding of fluid flow and to the development of the Francis-type water turbine.

The industrialization of New England resulted initially from water power rather than steam. The leading part Francis played in the exploitation of the Merrimack River and the development of the town of Lowell, Massachusetts, was at the time more important than his work on turbines. Francis also devised a complete system of water supply for fire protection and had it working in the Lowell district for many years before anything similar was in operation anywhere else. He designed and built hydraulic lifts, ‘guard locks’, for the guard gates of the Pawtucket Canal and a flood control system the ‘Francis Gate’. He also reconstructed the Pawtucket Dam 1875–76. His book The Lowell Hydraulic Experiments 1855 gives the Francis formula for the flow of fluids over weirs.

Francis was born in Oxfordshire and became assistant to his father on canal and harbour works. In 1833 he went to the USA and worked for a locks and canals company, rising to chief engineer 1837. He advised on a number of dam projects, was a member of the Massachusetts state legislature, and was president of the Stonybrook Railroad for 20 years.