James Walker (1781-1862), Scottish civil engineer. Walker was born at Falkirk and after a short education was apprenticed to his uncle, an engineer. In his early years Walker was involved with the construction of the West and East india Docks in London. From 1810 he worked on the Surrey Commercial Docks, his employer for the rest of his life. He consulted on a range of maritime civil engineering projects, such as the Bishop's Rock and Needles lighthouses, the completion of the Caledonian Canal and several harbours. From 1834 to 1845 he served as President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, succeeding his friend Thomas Telford, and was also chief engineer of Trinity House, the authority controlling lighthouses around the English coast.