William James Griggs
William J. Griggs (1876-1917), chief locomotive and wagon superintendent of the Jamaica Government Railway
Born at Romford
Died in Jamaica
1917 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM JAMES GRIGGS was born at Romford, Essex, on 20th June 1876.
His early education was received at the Grocers' Company's School, London, and in 1895 he began an apprenticeship of four years in the locomotive works of the North London Railway. During that period he also studied at the Finsbury Technical College and City of London College.
On the completion of his apprenticeship in 1899 he remained three years as draughtsman and another three years as inspector and tester of materials.
From there he went in March 1905 to the Sudan Government Railways as district locomotive superintendent, and in 1907 was appointed Locomotive, Carriage, and Wagon Superintendent of the Western Railway of Havana, Cuba.
He next became, in 1910, Inspector for the Crown Agents for the Colonies in the Birmingham District, and subsequently Locomotive, Carriage, and Wagon Superintendent of the Jamaica Government Railway, where he had just completed his three years' agreement and had been put on the Civil Establishment of the Colony, when his death took place, after a short illness, at Half-way Tree, Jamaica, on 20th May 1917, in his forty-first year.
He was elected a Member of this Institution in 1907.