P007374 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2024-05-02 human Gavan McCarthy updated 2025-02-25 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P007374b.htm person Scott James AACR2 17 June 1815 15 May 1884 Place of Birth Burntisland, Fife, Scotland Place of Death Valleyfield, Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire, Scotland Marine engineer Shipbuilder James Scott was born at Burntisland in Fife in 1815. His official death registration states his father Robert was a "master mariner". By 1850, James Scott (described as a "shipwright") had obtained a patent for "certain improvements to docks, slips. and apparatus connected therewith". It appears his expertise in this field then took him to Glasgow to work. He was recruited from Glasgow by the Australasian Steam Navigation Company to build a so-called Patent Slip at Pyrmont, NSW. Scott had previously constructed some form of slip in Mauritius before he patented his invention in 1850. Scott relocated to Stockton (Newcastle) New South Wales c.1860 and built a "patent slip" which was sold to D. McQuarrie in 1869 before Scott, with some of his family, returned to Scotland.

The patent taken out by Scott is described in full on Page 12 of Volume 4 of the "Practical Mechanic's Journal" (Apr 1851-Mar. 1852) [See link below]. The best-known use of his patent seems to be the construction of the new graving docks at Victoria Docks in London. James Scott was also engaged by various syndicates to use his hydraulics system to raise sunken ships, for instance, an (unsuccessful) attempt to raise the steamer William Denny off the North Cape of New Zealand in 1858.

It is unclear how many family members returned to Scotland with James c.1872-73. His oldest son, Robert Melville Scott (1847 - 1906), was living in Sydney by 1879, when he married Helena Chowne, whose father was one of the Chowne family of shipwrights / shipowners in NSW c.1850s. (Robert Melville Scott also seems to have become involved in hydraulic-related engineering e.g. Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1919), Sat 5 Mar 1892, Page 28.) Records show that James was the father of three daughters and each of those women died in Sydney; so too did the son of his second marriage, James John Bain-Scott.

[Thanks to Reg and Norma Binding for their research and the adapted extracts above.]

 Australasian Steam Navigation Company (1851 - 1887)

Scott was contracted to build a patent slip at Pyrmont February 1853

 'Scott, James', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Scott, James Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: Scott's hydrostatic dry dock and keel-blocks [Illustrated by Plate 73] Scott's hydrostatic dry dock and keel-blocks [Illustrated by Plate 73] Practical Mechanic's Journal and Patent Office 1851 Practical Mechanic's Journal 4 Apr 1851 - Mar 1852 60-61 Journal Article: Scott's continous-action screw purchase for slips (Ilustrated by Plate 143) Scott's continous-action screw purchase for slips (Ilustrated by Plate 143) Practical Mechanic's Journal and Patent Office 1853 Practical Mechanic's Journal 6 Apr 1853 - Mar 1954 258 -259 Newspaper Article: The Patent Slip at Pyrmont The Patent Slip at Pyrmont Sydney, NSW 1855 Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875) 4 Journal Article: Docks and Slips Scott, James Docks and Slips Practical Mechanic's Journal and Patent Office 1851 Practical Mechanic's Journal 4 Apr 1851 - Mar 1852 12 Edited Book: Shaping the Hunter: a story of engineers, and the engineering contribution to the development of the present shape of the Hunter Region, its river, cities, industries and transport arteries Armstrong, John Shaping the Hunter: a story of engineers, and the engineering contribution to the development of the present shape of the Hunter Region, its river, cities, industries and transport arteries Newcastle, New South Wales Institution of Engineers, Australia. Newcastle Division 1983