Rowland Lyttelton Archer Davies
Rowland Lyttelton Archer Davies (1837-1881)
1859 Became a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Died 1881 aged 44.[1]
1882 Obituary [2]
MR. ROWLAND LYTTELTON ARCHER DAVIES was the son of the late Ven. Rowland R. Davies, Archdeacon of Hobart, Tasmania. He was born at Longford Parsonage, on March 28, 1837, and educated at the grammar school at Longford, under the Rev. David Boyd, where, before going to Christ’s College, Bishopsbourne, he gained the medal for Greek and prize for Mathematics.
When not yet sixteen he was removed from Christ’s College, upon the retirement of the Warden, the Rev. S. B. Windsor ; he was then at the head of the mathematical list, and second in classics, taking prizes in both, having privately prepared himself in higher branches of mathematics than the masters had required from the students, or had imagined any of them capable of acquiring. The year 1854 young Davies spent in Hobart, in the Engineer Office, under Colonel Hamilton, R.E., and Mr. Dawson, who has since taken a high position in the public works department in Sydney. Having chosen the profession of civil engineering as his future career, the archdeacon sent him to England in the following year, where he studied under distinguished members of the profession, by whom the many high testimonials furnished him testify to his talents having been appreciated. The first year he spent under the roof of Professor Tomlinson, F.R.S., with whom he studied specially his favourite pursuit of mathematics, and had the highest intellectual advantages, making acquaintance with the authors of that day in social circles with his tutor, who, in a tale published by his gifted wife, speaks of him as one who was once his pupil and whom he was then proud to call his friend. In 1859, Rowland Davies returned to his native land, full of enthusiasm for carrying out great works in his profession, bringing his diploma, which honour he was the solitary instance of having gained before the age of twenty-one, though it was not conferred till that period. An opening occurring in Tasmania at that time, he went to Victoria, where he obtained employment. Soon after happened that terrible railway accident at Richmond, when his life was spared, but he suffered from wounds on the head which seemed to dim the brilliancy of his talent. After recovering, he made efforts in different ways to work, the last as town surveyor in Christ-church, New Zealand. This was the first appointment of the kind in that place, and was a very arduous and trying one. He became nervously ill, and then resolved to give up his post and join an exploring party. They crossed the "Dividing Range" particulars are given in Mr. Money’s little book, "Knocking About in New Zealand." The hardships of this period led to the illnesses which caused eventually the termination of a life of so much promise. His love of the beautiful and appreciation of everything that was exquisite in nature and art is known to the few who were intimate. All who knew him well, and those who served him in households, and the poorer members of the community, loved him in a remarkable and tender degree. The renewed health and strength of the past few months revived all the energies of his nature, one of no common order. The "Mining Journal" was the result, but proved too much for his impaired physical powers. The end came, upon all who knew and all who loved him, as a terrible shock.
Mr. Davies was elected an Associate on the 1st March, 1859. He at one time endeavoured to establish a local Institute of Engineers and Surveyors at Hobart, and also a technical school, but the community was too small to support them.