[4] During his training he helped with projects at West India Docks and the iron paddleship which was named Aaron Manby.

Despite being only 18 years old, Manby was designated as the chief engineer during its maiden voyage on 10 June 1822 with Sir Charles Napier as captain.

[5] He briefly managed the Bristol Iron Works, but in 1834 he moved to London and began practising there as a civil engineer.

[8] Manby had become involved with the Arctic explorer Sir John Ross's India Steamship Company which he joined in 1838.

[5] Charles Manby then became Secretary of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in November 1839, succeeding Thomas Webster.

[1] He nominally retired from this role in 1856 and was awarded a testimonial, a prize and a purse of 2,000 pounds from the chairman Robert Stephenson.

[4] Manby moved next door to Stephenson and travelled across Europe to represent the locomotive company[5] using the contacts which he had created during his 17 years as secretary of the ICE.

[13] Charles Manby was chosen with James Rendel and John Robinson McClean to join the International Scientific Commission on the Suez Canal.

His knowledge of engineering and his linguistic skills helped him serve as one of the secretaries to the International Commission for the piercing of the isthmus of Suez, with Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire and Lieutenant Lieussou.