P003502 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2001-05-25 human Rosanne Walker; Ken McInnes updated 2025-11-05 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003502b.htm person Duncan George Smith AACR2 11 July 1852 4 September 1930 Place of Birth Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand Place of Death Black Rock, Victoria, Australia Engineer George Duncan was an engineer who was responsible for the construction of Melbourne's cable tram network. He studied engineering at the Universities of Edinburgh and Otago, and was for a short time Engineer for the District of Otago, New Zealand. In 1875 he co-founded the partnership Reid and Duncan, which operated as surveyors, civil engineers, land agents, and share and money brokers. Between 1879 and 1883 the firm was responsible for building the Dunedin cable tramway system. As Engineer successively to the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company and the Melbourne Tramway Trust, he was responsible for the design and construction of 73 km of double tracks along 16 routes between the passing of the enabling Act in 1883 and 1891. This was the foundation of Melbourne's tram network and, at the time, the largest cable tram system in the world operated by a single company. His innovations included improved ways of laying tracks around corners and the invention of the emergency slot-brake. From 1894 Duncan was in private practice as a mining engineer, founding the firm of Duncan, Noyes and Co. He was involved in gold mining, introducing the cyanide process for extracting gold from ore and tailings. He attempted, with some success, extracting gold from seawater. 1868 1873 Career position - Pupilage under J.T.Thomson and D.L. Simpson, Provincial Engineers, Otago, N.Z. 1871 1873 Career position - Assistant Engineer, Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway, Otago, N.Z. 1873 1876 Career position - District Provincial Engineer, Otago, N.Z. 1876 1883 Career position - Consulting Civil Engineer, Otago, N.Z. 1884 1884 Life event - Moved to Melbourne, Victoria 1884 1892 Career position - Consulting Engineer, Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company 1884 1892 Career position - Engineer, Melbourne Tramways Trust 6 Dec 1887 6 Dec 1887 Career event - Member (MInstCE), Institution of Civil Engineers, London 1894 Career event - In private practice as mining engineer, Melbourne Brady, Joseph (1828 - 1908)

Joseph Brady MInstCE endorsed George Duncan's nomination for MInstCE, 1887.

 Mountain, Adrien Charles (c. 1849 - 1935)

Adrien Mountain endorsed George Duncan's nomination for MInstCE, 1887.

 Watson, Robert (1822 - 1891)

Robert Watson endorsed George Duncan's nomination for MInstCE, 1887

 Gordon, George (1829 - 1907)

George Gordon endorsed George Duncan's nomination for MInstCE, 1887.

 O'Connor, Charles Yelverton (1843 - 1902)

C. Y. O'Connor endorsed George Duncan's nomination for MInstCE, 1887.

 Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company (1877 - 1916)

Consulting Engineer 1884 - 1892

 Melbourne Tramways Trust (1883 - 1916)

Engineer 1884 - 1892

 Clapp, Francis Boardman (1833 - 1920)

Clapp, as chairman of the Melbourne Tramway and Omnibus Company, engaged Duncan as Chief Engineer, in 1884.

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Duncan, George Smith (1852-1930)

Trove

 'Duncan, George Smith', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Duncan, George Smith Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: Duncan, George Smith (1852?-1930), engineer Keating, John D. Duncan, George Smith (1852?-1930), engineer Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1972 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 4: 1851 - 1890 D-J Douglas Pike 115 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 Journal Article: Melbourne's cable trams - a major nineteenth century engineering achievement Pierce, Miles Melbourne's cable trams - a major nineteenth century engineering achievement 2020 International journal of the history of engineering and technology 89 1/2 188-215 Book: Mind the Curve! A History of the Cable Trams Keating, John D. Mind the Curve! A History of the Cable Trams Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1970 Edited Book: Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Engineers Australia Wonders never cease: 100 Australian engineering achievements Barton, Australian Capital Territory Institution of Engineers, Australia 2019 Book: The Melbourne cable trams 1885-1940 Cranston, Jack The Melbourne cable trams 1885-1940 Melbourne, Vic. Craftsman Publishing 1988 Book: Victorian steampower : an illustrated social history McCann, Joy; Churchward, Matthew Victorian steampower : an illustrated social history Melbourne, Vic. Victoria Press 1994 Resource: Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering Technology in Australia 1788-1988 Online Melbourne Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre 2000