George William Harris
George William Harris (1819-1904)
1906 Obituary [1]
GEORGE WILLIAM HARRIS, who had been connected with the Institution for upwards of 55 years, died at Mount Gambier, South Australia, on the 5th March, 1904, at the advanced age of 85.
Born in 1819, he served a pupilage to Sir Charles Fox, and was afterwards engaged on the Stockton and Darlington and other railways in England and the south of France, for a period of 10 years.
In 1848, he went out to Australia and obtained an appointment as Secretary to the Central Board of Main Roads at Adelaide, retaining this post until 1854, when he received the appointment of Inspector- General of Roads and Bridges in Victoria. During his tenure of office, he designed numerous bridges, and laid out and superintended the construction of roads in many parts of the colony; but in the course of time, the rapid increase of work necessitating the rearrangement of the department, Mr. Harris relinquished his position as chief, and in 1866 became Engineer to the Mount Gambier and Narracoote Road Boards, South Australia, and served nearly 25 years in that capacity.
Active and energetic throughout his long and useful career, he retained full possession of his faculties up to within a few weeks of his death.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 7th March, 1848, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 26th Jannary, 1858.