John Young (1826-1895)
John Young (1826-1895), civil engineer and architect.
c1826 Born in Saint Madoes, Perth, son of James Young and Susan nee Mathewson[1]
1841 Robert Gaw 40, mason, living in Perth with George Gaw 16, Elisabeth Gaw 10, Robert Gaw 12, George Young 17, land surveyor, John Young 15[2]
1845-6 Engaged in railway work under Messrs Locke and Errington
Then went into practice on his own account
1850 Married Catharine Mill Meldrum in Saint Madoes, Perth[3]
1851 John Young 25, Land Surveyer Employ 1 Apprentice, lived in Edinburgh with Cathrine Young 24, Infant No Name 1dy[4]
1855 Went into practice for himself as railway contractor in Perth
1861 John Young 35, Land Wood & Engineering & Architect, lived in Perth with Catherine M Young 36, Jeanie M Young 10, George Young 2[5]
1881 John Young 56, architect and civil engineer, lived in Perth with Catherine Young 55, George P K Young 22, Ludovic Unwin Young 14[6]
1891 of 42 Tay St, Perth when he became a Member of the Inst of Civil Engineers[7]
1896 Obituary [8]
JOHN YOUNG, born on the 27th March, 1826, was educated at the Perth Academy. He then became a pupil of his father, the late James Young, who, in partnership with Alexander Mitchell, was practising as an engineer and architect in Perth.
After gaining some experience of railway construction under Locke and Errington, John Young commenced business on his own account in Perth in the year 1855, and during the next forty years was connected with many important works.
The first of these was the drainage of the city of Perth, which he carried out between 1862 and 1867. On account of the level of the town being in many places only a few feet above the normal level of the river, the works presented considerable difficulties, which Mr. Young overcame with great judgment and skill. He was also responsible for the drainage of Selkirk, Crieff, Blairgowrie, and Newport (Fife).
Between the years 1877 and 1880 Mr. Young carried out, in conjunction with the late J. F. La Trobe Bateman, an extension of the Perth Waterworks.
He was also engaged on works for the water-supply of Crieff and of Dunblane.
In addition to drainage and water-supply, he had some experience of railway works, having prepared plans for a narrow-gauge line from Alyth to Braemar and acted as engineer on the construction of the Crieff and Comrie Railway, an extension of the Caledonian system. He was also the architect of several public buildings in Perth and engineer to the Perth and District Tramways, recently completed and opened.
Mr. Young died on the 2nd December, 1895, after a short illness, death being attributed to a chill. In social life he was very popular.
He was the author of a little volume of songs and poems and had some skill as a musician. Mr. Young was a town councillor and magistrate of Perth, and an enthusiastic Freemason.
He was elected a Member on the 1st December, 1891.