Francis Dawson ( -1879)
1880 Obituary [1]
MR. FRANCIS DAWSON was for some time a student in the Applied Sciences Department, King’s College, London.
In 1852 he entered the office of Mr. W. H. Barlow, President Inst. C.E., as a pupil, and afterwards went to the Crimea in the Army Works Corps, where he was engaged on the telegraph staff.
On his returning he continued his articles with Mr. Barlow, and fur a short while acted as the assistant of Mr. T. F. Chappe, M. Inst. C.E., on the Gloucester and Stonehouse railway.
In the autumn of 1858 he obtained the appointment of “Assistant Engineer,” Jamaica; in 1861 he was promoted to be ‘‘ County Engineer,” and in 1868 to be “Deputy Director of Roads.” In these several capacities he was engaged in the construction of new roads, improving the communications throughout the island, and in the erection of government buildings. In several cases he exercised much engineering skill in spanning rivers. One of the works he designed and successfully carried out was the Victoria Market, Kingston. He organised and introduced a better means of extinguishing fires, which are frequent and destructive in Jamaica, and formed a fire brigade for that purpose. He was remarkable for an originality of character and inventive talent which attracted those with whom he came in contact. He entered into the work he had in hand with a singular thoroughness of character, and exhibited a command of resources and indefatigable industry and interest in his duties.
He came to England at the end of 1878 for change and rest; but on his return to Jamaica, early in 1879, he died suddenly.
Mr. Dawson was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 7th of March, 1871.