Charles William Scott
Charles William Scott (1831-1863)
1864 Obituary [1]
MR. CHARLES WILLIAM SCOTT, youngest son of the late Mr. John Scott, of Sunderland, was born on the 12th of January, 1831.
He was educated at Sunderland, Edinburgh, and Brussels, and at an early age was articled to Mr. Thomas Meik, the Engineer to the Commissioners of the River Wear, and was subsequently engaged for several years under Mr. John Murray (M. Inst. C.E.), whilst the docks at Sunderland were being constructed, thus obtaining considerable knowledge and experience in sea-works, which eventually proved to be so useful to him.
He was then for three years employed on the survey, and during the formation of the Grand Trunk Railway, of Canada.
On his return from that country, he accepted an appointment under Mr. Alexander Gordon (M. Inst. C.E.), and for three years had charge of the erection of two important lighthouses in the Bahamas, at Lobos Gay and at Great Isaacs, and surveyed and reported on several other sites in the same locality. He was always particularly careful of the supplies for, and the health of, the working parties, precautions most essential in such a hot climate, and even though the site of the operations might be from 100 miles to 200 miles distant from whence supplies could be obtained, he managed to keep them en satisfied and well in hand-no easy matter considering that they had generally been bred and brought UP as wreckers, pirates, or even worse.
On the completion of these works, he returned to England, and after a residence at home of only a few months, he was selected by Mr. W. Parkes (M. Inst. C.E.) to complete the erection of three lighthouses in the Red Sea. It was while in this service that he contracted dysentery, which speedily terminated his career, though he lived to come home to die ; his decease occurring on the 11th of January, 1863, before completing his 32nd year. With regard to his conduct of this particular work, Mr. Parkes has stated, that he considered himself under great obligations to Mr. Scott for the manner in which he devoted himself so nobly, and with so much success, to the performance of the duties intrusted to him.
Mr. Scott was devoted to his profession, and had abilities of a high order. He had the faculty of obtaining and retaining the respect and regard of those under whom he served, and amongst his relatives and friends he was universally esteemed for his quiet and unobtrusive manners, from which, aided by his industry and great perseverance, they had looked forward to his taking a high position in the profession he was so ardently attached to Mr. Scott only joined the Institution of Civil Engineers as an Associate in January 1861, just previous to his departure for the Red Sea, so that he was not able to take part in the proceedings, as, had he been spared, he might have been expected to do.