Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 11 October 1923, page 14


VETERAN ENGINEER'S DEATH.

Mr. Charles Anthony Corbett Wilson, who died at Geelong on Sunday, was born at Brompton Square, London, on February 13, 1827, and was therefore in his 97th year. His father was Mr. Charles Corbett Wilson, solicitor, of Gray's Inn, London. He was educated by private tutors, and at the Western Grammar School, Brompton, where Charles and Henry Kingsley were for a time his schoolfellows. He disliked the law; so, in 1846, he was articled to Messrs. Griffin and Downing, engineers, of Westminster. He came to Victoria in the

ship Troubadour (Captain James Blow),

and landed on Liardet's Beach on August 10, 1851. News of the first discovery of gold at Clunes had just reached Melbourne, followed quickly by the great Ballarat dis-covery. Mr. Wilson joined a party and was at work on Golden Point about 10

days afterwards. On their claim being worked out he left Ballarat and practised as a surveyor in Geelong. Among other works he made was the complete survey, including levels, of the Geelong-Melbourne railway, which was constructed on his data.

He afterwards entered the Government ser-vice under the old Central Road Board as assistant engineer in the Western district, and held that appointment until 1860, dur-ing which time he had charge of important road works, including the first main road from Geelong to Ballarat; the foundations and masonry of the Barwon Bridge at South Geelong; and the first bridge on the present site at Cressy. In 1860 he took successively several large Government survey contracts in the Western district, including Chatsworth, 35,000 acres; Grassdale and Murndal, 55,000 acres; Montajup and Dunkeld, 40,000 acres; and Mount William, 80,000 acres. In Octo-ber, 1863, he was appointed secretary, trea-surer, and engineer to the Shelford Dis-trict Road Board, now the Shire of Leigh, and held those offices until his retirement in October, 1917 - a period of 54 years. During his term of service with the Go-vernment he formed a friendship with Mr. H. Byron Moore, who was then in the Lands department, and with whom he maintained a regular correspondence for 70 years. Mr. Wilson was a member of the Victorian Institute of Engineers and of the Victorian Institute of Surveyors. He was known for his wide general cul-ture. In literature, art, and music and in science subjects, such as astronomy, botany, chemistry, and natural history, he had practical knowledge. In 1857 he married a daughter of the late Mr. Connor Powell,

an, old settler of the Waurn Ponds. His wife died about 15 years ago. He had a family of 15, of whom 10 survive - seven sons and three daughters. There are 22 grandchildren and one great grandchild. The eldest son, Mr. Charles C. P. Wilson, is engineer of the Leigh and Buninyong shires; the second son, Mr. Frederick A. Wilson, also a civil engineer, is engaged in prívale practice; the third son, Mr. W. S. Wilson, is secretary of the Hope-toun Shire. Another son, Mr. Percy B. Wilson, is an inspector for the Melbourne Harbour Trust. Mr. Eustace E. Wilson, of Messrs. Harwood and Pincott, solicitors, Geelong, is the seventh. The others, Mr. H. J. Wilson, of Olinda, and Mr. J. E. Wilson, of Winchelsea, are engaged in farming and agricultural pursuits. The eldest surviving daughter is Mrs. J. C. Bell, of Addiscot, with whom the late Mr. Wilson was recently living.

The Very Rev. Dean James Francis Gaff-ney, who was in charge of the Chiltern and Rutherglen Roman Catholic parish, died at Chiltern yesterday morning after a long illness. He was aged 61 years. Dean Gaffney had been stationed at Beechworth, Myrtleford, Kerang, Shepparton, and Marong.

Science Notes. By "Tellurian." See this week's issue of "The Australasian," available from Wednesday morning.