David James Ross
David James Ross (1845-1905)
1906 Obituary [1]
DAVID JAMES ROSS, born in London on the 5th February, 1845, was educated at various public schools and served his articles between 1861 and 1864 as a pupil to Mr. John Foster Pickering, Surveyor, of Old Jewry.
After the expiration of his pupilage he gained further experience in the offices of several well-known surveyors and engineers, and in November, 1871, he entered the engineer’s department of the Commissioners of Sewers, under the late Colonel Haywood. After passing through all the departments, he was appointed to the position of Chief Assistant in 1882, and on the death of Colonel Haywood in 1894, he succeeded that gentleman in the appointment of Engineer to the Commissioners of Sewers.
In 1897 the Commission was amalgamated with the Corporation of London, Mr. Ross being retained as Engineer to the Public Health Department. During his official career he was responsible for the laying out of a complete system of fire-hydrants, the construction of extensive sewerage-works in connection with the various Metropolitan and other railway extensions, the electric lighting of the City streets, the formation of new streets and subways, and generally the works appertaining to the lighting, paving and control of the public thoroughfares. The street-works comprised the widening of Lower Thames Street, the improvement at the west end of Cheapside, the formation of Lloyd’s Avenue, with subway and sewer, and the widening of Fleet Street, Fenchurch Street, and Gracechurch Street. He also erected the City shelter in Golden Lane, the Crematorium at Ilford Cemetery, and several underground conveniences in the City.
Mr. Ross retired in June, 1905, in consequence of ill-health, and in October, after a long illness, he underwent a serious operation; this in itself was successful, but his strength being exhausted, he failed to recover, and died on the 29th October, 1905, aged 60.
He was a Member of the Surveyors’ Institution and of the Incorporated Association of Municipal and County Engineers.
Mr. Ross was elected an Associate Member of this Institution on the 5th December, 1882, and was transferred to the class of Members on the 15th January, 1895.