31/08/2026
Our life worth reading this month from the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography is Banffshire-born Sir John Benton (5 August 1850 - 29 August 1927), who became one of the most influential civil engineers in British India.
Born at Sheriffhaugh, Banffshire, Benton studied in Aberdeen before joining the newly established Royal Indian Engineering College at Cooper's Hill. He went on to build an extraordinary career in India and Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), helping to transform irrigation systems that brought water to millions of acres of farmland.
Among his greatest achievements were the Triple Canals Scheme in the Punjab, one of the largest irrigation projects of its time, and the construction of the famous Benton Tunnel beneath the Malakand Pass.
Sir John Benton is a fascinating example of how people from our local area made a global impact.
Read more about his life here: https://www.oxforddnb.com on the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography using your library card number and pin code.
