William Danby
William Danby (1842-1908)
1909 Obituary [1]
WILLIAM DANBY, born on the 5th May, 1842, was educated at Leeds Grammar School and at King’s College, London, and received his practical training under the late Mr. E. Filliter, then Borough Engineer and Surveyor of Leeds.
Subseqnently he was appointed to take charge of the new waterworks in the Washburn Valley, for which Mr. Thos. Hawksley, Past-President, and Mr. Filliter were the Engineers.
In December, 1873, he received the appointment of Chief Assistant Engineer in the Public Works Department of Hongkong, and the remainder of his life was spent in that colony. He remained 6 years in the public service and during that period he designed and constructed lighthouses, sea-walls, waterworks and other engineering undertakings connected with the administration of a Crown colony.
In 1879 he left the Government service, and later he commenced independent practice as a consulting engineer in Hongkong, acquiring a considerable reputation amongst professional men in the Far East for his skill and ability as an engineer. Amongst other important works, he was responsible for the construction of docks at Kowloon, a concrete sea-wall and wharves, tramways and the Peak railway, besides a number of public buildings, warehouses and factories at Hongkong, Canton and other places. He took a constant interest in local affairs, was a lieutenant of Volunteers in earlier years, and an active freemason. His death, which occurred suddenly on tile 12th February, 1908, was due to injuries sustained in a fall, and occasioned widespread regret.
Mr. Danby was elected a Member of The Institution on the 31st May, 1881.