Charles Thomas Spencer
Charles Thomas Spencer (1856-1888)
1889 Obituary [1]
CHARLES THOMAS BPEKCER was born on the 12th of May, 1856.
At the age of sixteen he was articled to Sir James Ramsden, of Barrow-in-Furness, for four years, and on the expiration of his pupilage, in 1876, he continued in the service of the Furness Railway until 1882. During that period he was engaged, as Assistant Engineer, in surveying and levelling, making plans, sections and drawings, superintending various works in connection with the railway and the Barrow Docks.
In 1883-4, he was employed in the office of Mr. Stileman, as Assistant Engineer, in preparing contract and Parliamentary plans and sections.
In January, 1884, he entered the service of the East Indian Railway Company, and was appointed as Assistant to Mr. Graham Peddie, District Engineer of the Jubbulpore Extension, and placed in charge of 140 miles of line.
In 1885 he was, during the absence of the incumbent, placed in temporary charge of the next division of 83 miles. While thus engaged he carried out the Katni-Umaria (State) Railway Junction works with the East Indian Railway, and subsequently the junction of the Indian Midland Railway at Bkinikpur, with the East Indian system. While thus engaged, he died very suddenly of cholera, at Moghal Sarai, on the 7th of July, 1888.
Mr. Spencer was an exceptionally able man, thoroughly well up in his work, and very energetic. His death deprived the East Indian Railway Company of one of the most promising of its younger officers. In private life he was a universal favourite, being an eminently social and accomplished all-round man. He could dance, sing, play cricket and lawn-tennis, fight, preach, and play the organ in church, and was recognised as a type of true English manhood, kind, considerate, and fair.
He was elected an Associate Member of the Institution on the 24th of May, 1887.