In the 1840s Putney was still a part-wooded, part-agricultural village focussed c

losest to the Thames, opposite to Fulham, with which it was connected by a woode
n bridge; it was street-lit with gas, partly paved, and well supplied with water
. At that time Putney took on London's premier role in civil engineering. The Co
llege of Civil Engineers at Putney was founded in 1840, for the purpose of affor
ding sound instruction in the theory and practice of civil engineering and archi
tecture, and in all those branches of science and learning which are adapted to
the advanced state of society, and constitute an education that fits the student
for any pursuit or profession. It had a second place of worship, for Independen
ts and Roehampton was in the process of achieving separate parish status. The pr
oprietors of the bridge distributed 31 per annum to watermen, and watermen's wido
ws and children; and the parish received benefit from Henry Smith's and other ch
arities.[5] Putney in 1887 covered 9 square kilometres (3.5 sq mi).[