Thomas Edward Alford
Thomas Edward Alford (1873-1942)
1942 Obituary [1]
THOMAS EDWARD ALFORD held the position of chief inspector of machinery to the Government of Queensland. He was born in 1873, and was educated in Queensland at Ipswich and Brisbane Grammar Schools. He served a five years' apprenticeship, terminating in 1895, with Messrs. J. W. Sutton and Company, engineers, of Brisbane, and after gaining additional practical experience with a gold-mining company, and as a patternmaker at Burdekin Mill, Sellheim, he was made foreman-in-charge of the Pioneer Foundry, Charters Towers.
After a brief period during 1906-7 as engineer-in-charge of the Kalamadan Gold Mining Company, New Guinea, he accepted a similar position with another goldmining company at Charters Towers, where he remained until 1909. His long service with the Government of Queensland began in 1910, with his appointment as inspector of machinery at Brisbane; and in 1926 he was promoted to be senior inspector. He was responsible for the general examination of boilers, air receivers, cranes, and lifts. His promotion to the office of chief inspector took place in 1935, and he occupied this post until his death, which occurred on 16th September 1941.
Mr. Alford was elected an Associate Member of the Institution in 1928.