William Davidson, Civil Engineer, Chief Inspector of Public Works and a man who worked with Carlo on a myriad of projects, is naturally mentioned multiple times in this blog. What do we know of him? We will start with this informative obituary from The Argus, of September 3, 1920 (see here) which tells us of his early life in Ireland, his adventurous trip to Australia and his career in Victoria.
William Davidson
The Australasian, December 4, 1897 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138631407
Death of Mr. W.Davidson. Sudden Seizure in City. Valuable Public Service.
Deep regret was expressed among a wide circle of friends when it became known that Mr. William Davidson, I.S.O., late Inspector General of State Public Works died with painful suddenness yesterday afternoon. He was lunching at Hosies Hotel with several friends, including Mr. G. Kermode, chief engineer of public works; Mr. F. W. Fricke, second member of the Country Roads Board, and Mr H.G.W. Neale, secretary to the Agent-General, when he collapsed and died within a few minutes.The late Mr Davidson had been suffering from heart complaint for several years and was under medical treatment. At the beginning of last month he suffered from an attack of influenza, but had recovered sufficiently to make his customary visit to the city and his relatives were not unduly concerned regarding his health. In fact, only yesterday morning he remarked that he felt unusually well.
Mr Davidson was an extremely lovable personality, and was exceptionally popular with his colleagues in the civil service, with which he was associated for nearly 40 years. In private life his sterling character and frank geniality caused his friendship to be highly valued. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. Mr Davidson was as an ideal public servant,efficient, conscientious, and supremely trustworthy. He retired from the service in 1912.
Born in County Tyrone Ireland, on December 6, 1844, Mr Davidson spent his boyhood in a village. At the age of 12 years he was an ambitious assistant in a store, and a description of him at this time by a friend tells of "a keen, bright boy, with nothing more pretentious in the way of education than that imparted at a village school, but with a receptive mind, and plenty of push." His fathers brother, Robert Davidson, had come out to Victoria at the time of the gold rush, and had set up in practice at Ballarat as a mining surveyor. Young Davidson became fired with a longing to seek his fortune overseas, and working his way over to Liverpool, he succeeded in getting a passage out in a sailing ship that reached Port Phillip in 1859. Even the roughness of these experiences did not weaken his determination. He set out on foot for Ballarat, and some days later appeared at the door of the tent which his uncle used as an office, and introduced himself as a nephew. When the mining surveyor had recovered from the first shock and astonishment, he inquired, "Where is your father?" "At home," replied young Davidson. "And where is home?" he was further asked. "In Ireland," the boy remarked laconically.
Perseverance of that description deserved to succeed, and the uncle gave his nephew a chance by attaching him as a "generally useful" to a surveying party. Young Davidson made the most of his chance, and he rose from the post of a "generally useful" to be a chainman and later a full fledged surveyor. Subsequently in practising his profession there was hardly a part of the north-west that he did not traverse, while he also knew Gippsland from a first-hand acquaintance. That knowledge in distant parts of the State served him splendidly in later years. In 1873 the position of assistant to the chief engineer of the Melbourne Water Supply department, under Mr. Taylor, became vacant, and Mr Davidson obtained the appointment.
In January, 1878, Mr. Taylor was one of the heads of the department dispensed with on "Black Wednesday" by the Berry Government during the political crisis. Soon after a big flood carried away the Plenty bridge and with it the mains conveying the Yan Yean water to Melbourne. Rebuilding the bridge, and restoring the supply with all possible urgency was entrusted to Mr. Davidson. So energetically and efficiently was the work executed that when it was finished Mr (afterwards Sir James) Patterson, the then Minister for Public Works, as a reward, handed to Mr Davidson his appointment as engineer of Melbourne water supply. To his service in this capacity Mr. Davidson has left an enduring monument in the shape of the Yan Yean water supply system.
The whole question of the question of the metropolitan water supply rested upon him, and he brought rare skill and knowledge to bear upon it. As an illustration of his through methods it may be mentioned that he spent months in survey work on top of the ranges working out his theory that it was possible to divert to the service of the Yan Yean reservoir some of the streams that emptied into the Goulburn. The diversion of Silver Creek and Wallaby Creek were the fruits of this spell of strenuous field work. Later on the Watts River had to be drawn upon. In this work Mr. Davidson was greatly
assisted by the late Mr. William Thwaites, who was his chief assistant, and who became engineer in chief to the Board of Works when that body assumed control of the metropolitan water supply.
In 1890 Mr. Davidson succeeded the late Mr. William Steel as Inspector-general of public works. In that capacity he was the directing force in connection with engineering projects right throughout the State and in works and bridge construction undertaken by shires in conjunction with the Government. His knowledge of the State was of inestimable value to him, while his personal probity, fairness and judicial mind were factors in his success and popularity. His reputation was not confined to Victoria, for his services were sought by the Governments of other States, chiefly in connection with harbour and water supply matters. When the honours list was issued at the time of the Coronation in 1911 Mr. Davidson's name figured amongst those upon whom had been conferred the Imperial Service Order, and he was the recipient of congratulations from all parts of the Commonwealth.
His last important undertaking was going to London to consult the firm of Coode, Son and Matthews on plans to improve the harbour accommodation in Hobson's Bay, and to enlarge the scheme which that eminent engineering firm had prepared in 1879 for the Melbourne Harbour Trust. The principal expenditure in these operations was the building of the New Railway Pier at Port Melbourne.
Mr. Davidson was a keen sportsman and in his younger days followed the hounds regularly. For "special services" he was made a life member of the Victorian Racing Club. This is a unique distinction, and during the history of the club has only been conferred on four other men-the Duke of Portland, the late Mr. Mark Moss, Mr. Isidore Moss and Mr Archie Yuille. Mr Davidson was a leading member of the Yorick Club, and also on the Board of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.
Quite recently he read a paper before the Historical Society giving the history of the origin and complete development of the Melbourne Water Supply, and, with characteristic modesty never once mentioned his own name in connection with it.
He leaves a widow and four children Mr John Davidson (Sydney), Mrs. A. Phillips, (Sydney), Mrs Lyon and Miss Bertha Davidson. The remains will be interred privately in the Boroondara Cemetery. (1)
Family life
William married Elizabeth Cherry on January 3, 1874 at St John's Church of England in Ballarat. He was 30 and was 27 years old. She had been born in London to James William Cherry and his wife, Elizabeth Foster. James was a painter. William's parents are listed on the marriage certificate as John Davidson, an Architect, and Eliza McCudden. (2)
William died on September 2, 1920 and at the time of his death he was living at Maroondah, Lisson Grove in Hawthorn.
William's death notice.
The Argus, September 11, 1920 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4584592
Elizabeth died on August 19, 1927. She was living at 77 St Vincent Place South, Albert Park, with her daughter Bertha, at the time of her death.
Elizabeth's death notice.
The Argus, August 22, 1927 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3874260
William and Elizabeth had four children, all given the second name of Oliver, which must have been a family name. They all died in New South Wales. (3)
Minnie Oliver Davidson
Minnie was born in 1874 in South Melbourne. Minnie married John Sydney Lyon in 1916 when she was about 42 years old. John sadly died of influenza in 1919. Minnie died in Mosman on October 9, 1945.
Minnie was born in 1874 in South Melbourne. Minnie married John Sydney Lyon in 1916 when she was about 42 years old. John sadly died of influenza in 1919. Minnie died in Mosman on October 9, 1945.
Obituary of John Sydney Lyon
Perth Daily News, March 25, 1919 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81842533
Minnie's death notice.
The Argus, October 26, 1945 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12149296
John Oliver Davidson
John was born in 1877, in South Melbourne. He married Louisa Edwards in 1928 in New South Wales. In the 1930 Electoral Rolls their address was Maroondah, Balgowlah Road, Manly - he had named his home after the family home in Hawthorn. Louisa died at the age of 45 on October 11, 1932, only four years after their marriage. (4) John died in Manly, New South Wales on November 27, 1957.
Entry from the 1930 Electoral Roll from Ancestry.com
John's death notice
Sydney Morning Herald, November 29, 1957 from Newspapers.com
Bertha was born in 1878, in South Melbourne. Bertha married James Doolan in 1931 in New South Wales, when she was about 53 years old. She died on September 1, 1950 in Sydney and is buried with her parents at the Boorondara Cemetery.
Bertha's death notice.
The Argus, September 4, 1950 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22895535
Annie Oliver Davidson
Annie was born in 1880 in Hawthorn. She married Henry Arthur Phillips on October 19, 1905 and died in New South Wales on February 16, 1969. Annie and Henry had three children - Geoffrey born in Hawthorn in 1906; the next two children were born in New South Wales - William in 1910 and Elizabeth in 1915. These were the only grandchildren of William and Elizabeth.
Annie married at the family home, Maroondah, Lisson Grove, Hawthorn.
The Argus, December 2, 1905 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10020901
Annie's death notice
Sydney Morning Herald, February 19, 1969 from Newspapers.com
Footnotes
(1) The Argus, September 3, 1920, see here
(2) Death certificate of William and Marriage certificate of William and Elizabeth.
(3) Details of children - Victorian and New South Wales Indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages. Electoral Rolls on Ancestry.com.
(4) Louisa death notice Sydney Daily Telegraph, October 12, 1932, see here.
