1873881
Menu
Bennett, William Christopher
Description
Unique IDPE-004511SurnameBennettGiven namesWilliam ChristopherBiographical abstractDates of employment: 1856Biographical noteBiographical details:
Born 1824, Rathmines, Dublin; died 29 September 1889 in Sydney; biography - Australian Dictionary of Biography online [ref: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bennett-william-christopher-2976]
Prize winner with WB Wade for plan for construction of sewers in Launceston [ref: Empire 27 March 1857 p2]
1857 worked with NSW Railways
Letters by “Caustic” and replies by Bennett re the Great Southern Road [ref: SMH 27 August 1860 p8]; [ref: SMH 13 September 1860 p2]
1859-1862 Engineer with NSW Department of Roads; returned to UK for a time.
1862-1889 Returned to NSW 1862 and worked in Department of Public Works, Railway Department and then Roads Department; became Engineer in Chief for Sewerage, Office of Commissioner & Engineer for Roads, Sewerage, Department of Public Works, NSW
Many letters to City of Sydney Council on road and sewerage matters including following:
1877 William Bennett, Commissioner and Engineer for Roads, Department of Public Works. The water mains are leaking and damaging the Main Western Road between the University Cutting and Toll Bar. [ref: 26/145/605]
1880 William Bennett, Commissioner and Engineer for Roads, Dept of Public Works to City Engineer on damage to newly metalled Cook’s River Road by laying of water main – noted answered in person by J Trevor Jones. [ref: 26/168/1470]
1884 William Bennett, Commissioner & Engineer for Roads, Sydney, re removal of kerb & gutter stones from Wattle St. [ref: 26/201/2308]
1885 William Bennett, Engineer in Chief for Sewerage, Department of Public Works re construction of an open channel along the inner side of the Domain wall to Cowper Street. [ref: 26/202/214]
1886 William. C. Bennett, Commissioner & Engineer for Roads, Department of Public Works, Sydney. re water drainage affecting the condition of Pyrmont Bridge Road. [ref: 26/214/1670]
1887 William C. Bennett, Engineer in Chief for Sewerage, Department of Public Works, notifying the Mayor that Messrs Rochester & Gummow will proceed with blasting at Oxford Street and other shafts and with open cutting in Balfour and Abercrombie Streets. Sketch attached. [ref: 26/218/426]
1888 re the sewer through the Baptist Cooper Estate – arrangement for cost between Government, Redfern Council and City Council – report by Bennett [ref: 26/226/148]
Obituaries: William Christopher Bennett', Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, vol 99, 1890, pp 346-50 [ref: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Christopher_Bennett]; [ref: The Australian Star 30 September 1889 p 8]; [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 30 September 1889 p 7]; [ref: Evening News 30 September 1889 p 5]; [ref: The Burrowa News (NSW) 4 October 1889 p 2]
Details from contemporary sources:
1856 Bell reports May on his excellent testimonials and performance - recommends appointment to staff to date from 1 April - £300 pa [ref: 26/23/397]
1856 Bell recommends that he replace Mais [ref: 7/9/189]
1856 £300 pa - appointed 9 May 1856, effective from 7 April 1856 [ref: 7/9/190]
1856 Appointed May 1856 - replaced HC Mais [ref: 25/8/39]
1856 Resignation 21 November 1856 [ref: 26/026/1033]
1857 Claims reimbursement for clothing - employed 9 months to December 1856 [ref: 26/026/1117]GenderMaleSource system IDTPER-000266
Born 1824, Rathmines, Dublin; died 29 September 1889 in Sydney; biography - Australian Dictionary of Biography online [ref: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bennett-william-christopher-2976]
Prize winner with WB Wade for plan for construction of sewers in Launceston [ref: Empire 27 March 1857 p2]
1857 worked with NSW Railways
Letters by “Caustic” and replies by Bennett re the Great Southern Road [ref: SMH 27 August 1860 p8]; [ref: SMH 13 September 1860 p2]
1859-1862 Engineer with NSW Department of Roads; returned to UK for a time.
1862-1889 Returned to NSW 1862 and worked in Department of Public Works, Railway Department and then Roads Department; became Engineer in Chief for Sewerage, Office of Commissioner & Engineer for Roads, Sewerage, Department of Public Works, NSW
Many letters to City of Sydney Council on road and sewerage matters including following:
1877 William Bennett, Commissioner and Engineer for Roads, Department of Public Works. The water mains are leaking and damaging the Main Western Road between the University Cutting and Toll Bar. [ref: 26/145/605]
1880 William Bennett, Commissioner and Engineer for Roads, Dept of Public Works to City Engineer on damage to newly metalled Cook’s River Road by laying of water main – noted answered in person by J Trevor Jones. [ref: 26/168/1470]
1884 William Bennett, Commissioner & Engineer for Roads, Sydney, re removal of kerb & gutter stones from Wattle St. [ref: 26/201/2308]
1885 William Bennett, Engineer in Chief for Sewerage, Department of Public Works re construction of an open channel along the inner side of the Domain wall to Cowper Street. [ref: 26/202/214]
1886 William. C. Bennett, Commissioner & Engineer for Roads, Department of Public Works, Sydney. re water drainage affecting the condition of Pyrmont Bridge Road. [ref: 26/214/1670]
1887 William C. Bennett, Engineer in Chief for Sewerage, Department of Public Works, notifying the Mayor that Messrs Rochester & Gummow will proceed with blasting at Oxford Street and other shafts and with open cutting in Balfour and Abercrombie Streets. Sketch attached. [ref: 26/218/426]
1888 re the sewer through the Baptist Cooper Estate – arrangement for cost between Government, Redfern Council and City Council – report by Bennett [ref: 26/226/148]
Obituaries: William Christopher Bennett', Minutes of Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, vol 99, 1890, pp 346-50 [ref: https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Christopher_Bennett]; [ref: The Australian Star 30 September 1889 p 8]; [ref: The Sydney Morning Herald 30 September 1889 p 7]; [ref: Evening News 30 September 1889 p 5]; [ref: The Burrowa News (NSW) 4 October 1889 p 2]
Details from contemporary sources:
1856 Bell reports May on his excellent testimonials and performance - recommends appointment to staff to date from 1 April - £300 pa [ref: 26/23/397]
1856 Bell recommends that he replace Mais [ref: 7/9/189]
1856 £300 pa - appointed 9 May 1856, effective from 7 April 1856 [ref: 7/9/190]
1856 Appointed May 1856 - replaced HC Mais [ref: 25/8/39]
1856 Resignation 21 November 1856 [ref: 26/026/1033]
1857 Claims reimbursement for clothing - employed 9 months to December 1856 [ref: 26/026/1117]GenderMaleSource system IDTPER-000266
Relationships
Registration
Detailed recordNo
Click on the image to add
a tag or press ESC to cancel
a tag or press ESC to cancel
Bennett, William Christopher [PE-004511]. City of Sydney Archives, accessed 10 May 2025, https://archives.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/1873881