Biographical entry Thompson, James (1863 - 1945)

Summary

James Thompson was engineer-in-chief of the Public Works Department of Western Australia from 1904-25. Of 6590 km of government railways built in Western Australia before World War II, 4690 km of main track were constructed while he controlled the department.

Details

Events

1882

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE) completed at the University of Ireland

1882 - 1889

Career position - Assistant Engineer with the Dublin Docks and Harbours Board

1889 - 1891

Career position - Engineer in the Survey Branch of the Victorian Railways

1891 - 1904

Career position - Engineer with the Public Works Department of Western Australia (PWDWA)

1894 - 1896

Career position - Resident Engineer for the Northam-Southern Cross-Kalgoorlie railway, PWDWA

1896 - 1904

Career position - Engineer in charge of the Harbours and Rivers Branch, PWDWA

1904 - 1925

Career position - Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department of Western Australia

1910

Career position - Founding President of the Western Australian Institution of Engineers

Published resources

Book Sections

• Strickland, R. M., 'Thompson, James (1863-1945), Engineer', in John Ritchie (ed.), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 12, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1990, p. 210. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120229b.htm. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Thompson, James', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1468672. Details