P001010 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J.; Ken McInnes updated 2025-05-27 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001010b.htm person Davidson William ISO AACR2 6 December 1844 2 September 1920 Place of Birth Moy, County Tyrone, Ireland Place of Death Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Civil engineer Public servant William Davidson worked as a civil engineer in Victoria for over 30 years (1873-1912). Much of his work was on improving Melbourne's water supply and catchment facilities. During a major flood in March 1878, the water supply aqueduct from Yan Yean was destroyed, and Davidson supervised its three-day around-the-clock restoration. He was rewarded by being appointed superintending engineer and later transferred to the newly formed Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. Davidson's other achievements include the extension of the Yan Yean catchment, construction of the Warrnambool breakwater and Portland harbour, and consultant to the English developers of Melbourne harbour (Station Pier at Port Melbourne). 1859 1859 Life event - Arrived in Australia (Victoria) 1864 1864 Education - Completed a surveyor's certificate 1873 1878 Career position - Assistant to the Superintending Engineer, Charles Taylor, Melbourne Water Supply 1878 1888 Career position - Superintending Engineer, Melbourne Water Supply 8 Jan 1878 8 Jan 1878 Career event - Victorian public servants summarily dismissed on 'Black Wednesday' 1883 1884 Career position - Yan Yean catchment extension undertaken in Victoria 1885 1888 Career position - Superintending Engineer, Geelong Water Supply 4 Dec 1888 4 Dec 1888 Career event - Member (MInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London 1889 1891 Career position - Inspector-General of Public Works, and Chief Engineer, Melbourne Water Supply. 1891 1912 Career position - Chief Engineer, Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works 19 Jun 1911 19 Jun 1911 Award - Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO) - Inspector-General of Public Works of Victoria 1912 1912 Life event - Retired 1914 1919 Career position - Chair of the Victorian branch, Institution of Civil Engineers, London 1920 1920 Buried - Boroondara Cemetery, Victoria Garson, George (1862 - 1911)

William Davidson MInstCE endorsed George Garson's nomination for MInstCE 1906

 Mead, Elwood (1858 - 1936)

William Davidson MInstCE endorsed Elwood Mead's nomination for MInstCE in 1908

 McClelland, David John (1873 - 1962)

William Davidson MInstCE proposed David McClelland's nomination for MInstCE in 1917

 Kemp, John Robert (1883 - 1955)

John Kemp served his pupillage under William Davidson 1902-1907

 Ritchie, Edgar Gowar (1871 - 1956)

William Davidson MInstCE endorsed Edgar Ritchie's nomination for MInstCE in 1913

 Monash, John (1865 - 1931)

William Davidson MInstCE endorsed John Monash's nomination for MInstCE in 1906.

 Shannon, William Montgomery (1868 - 1933)

William Davidson endorsed William Montgomery Shannon's nomination for MInstCE, 1914.

 Blackbourn, John (1842 - 1911)

William Davidson endorsed John Blackbourn's nomination for AssocMInstCE, 1891.

Wikidata

 Davidson, William (1844-1920)

Trove

 'Davidson, William', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Davidson, William Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: Some Public Works Engineers in Victoria in the Nineteenth Century Cumming, D. A. Some Public Works Engineers in Victoria in the Nineteenth Century Melbourne University of Melbourne, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering 1985 Journal Article: Wrought iron pipes Davidson, W. Wrought iron pipes Transactions and Proceedings of the Victorian Institute of Surveyors 3 1885-1891 52-60 Resource: Civil Engineer Membership Forms, 1818-1930 Institution of Civil Engineers, London Civil Engineer Membership Forms, 1818-1930 ancestry.com Edited Book: Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: 1890-1920 Chrimes, M. M.; Cox, R. C.; Cross-Rudkin, P. S. M.; Elton, J. M. H.; Hurst, B. L.; McWilliam, R. C.; Rennison, R. W.; Sutherland, R. J. M.; Thomas, R. E. Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland, Volume 3: 1890-1920 London, United Kingdom Thomas Telford Publishing 2014 Resource Section: From the Significant to the Indispensible: The Working Lives of Seventeen Figures in the History of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works Rasmussen, Carolyn From the Significant to the Indispensible: The Working Lives of Seventeen Figures in the History of the Melbourne Metropolitan Board of Works Australian National University 2019 Australian dictionary of biography Book Section: Davidson, William (1844-1920), civil engineer McNicoll, Ronald Davidson, William (1844-1920), civil engineer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1981 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 8: 1891 - 1939 Cl-Gib Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 230-231 Thesis: The Public Works Department of Victoria - 1851-1900 : an architectural history Trethowan, Bruce The Public Works Department of Victoria - 1851-1900 : an architectural history Melbourne Department of Architecture and Building, University of Melbourne 1975