Person

Thompson, James (1863 - 1945)

Born
22 August 1863
Drogheda, Louth, Ireland
Died
2 January 1945
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Occupation
Civil engineer

Summary

James Thompson MInstCE was engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department of Western Australia from 1904-1925. Of 6590 km of government railways built in Western Australia before World War II, 4690 km of main track were constructed while he controlled the department.

Details

For a detailed list of Associated Works, see entry for James Thompson in Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: 1890-1920, pp.596-7.

Chronology

1882
Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Ireland
1882 - 1889
Career position - Assistant Engineer, Dublin Docks and Harbours Board
1889
Life event - Migrated to Victoria, Australia
1889 - 1891
Career position - Assistant Engineer, Survey Branch, Victorian Railways
1891
Life event - Moved to Western Australia
1891 - 1904
Career position - Engineer, Public Works Department, Western Australia [under C. Y. O'Connor MInstCE]
3 Mar 1891
Career event - Associate Member (AssocMInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London
1894 - 1896
Career position - Resident Engineer, Northam-Southern Cross-Kalgoorlie railway, Public Works Department, Western Australia
1896 - 1904
Career position - Engineer in charge, Harbours and Rivers Branch, Public Works Department, Western Australia
12 Dec 1899
Career event - Member (MInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London
1904 - 1925
Career position - Engineer-in-Chief, Public Works Department of Western Australia
1910
Career position - Founding President, Western Australian Institution of Engineers
1925
Life event - Retired
1945
Life event - Buried, Karrakatta cemetery.

Related Corporate Bodies

Related People

Published resources

Book Sections

Edited Books

  • Battye, J.S. ed., The Cyclopedia of Western Australia : an historical and commercial review, descriptive and biographical facts figures and illustrations : an epitome of progress [Volume 1], vol. 1 (Perth: Cyclopedia Co, 1912), 776 pp, https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-250451699. 'James Thompson, BE MICE' Vol1, p.495. Details
  • Chrimes, M. M.; Cox, R. C.; Cross-Rudkin, P. S. M.; Elton, J. M. H.; Hurst, B. L.; McWilliam, R. C.; Rennison, R. W.; Sutherland, R. J. M.; Thomas, R. E. ed., Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: 1890-1920 (London, United Kingdom: Thomas Telford Publishing, 2014), 775 pp. 'Thompson, James', pp.596-7. Details

Resources

Rosanne Walker; Ken McInnes

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