George Gordon

George Gordon (1829 – 25 February 1907) was a Scottish born engineer who was prominent in Melbourne in the late nineteenth century.

Early life and training Gordon was the son of Robert Gordon and Margaret Auton. He was born in 1829 at Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland, while the family home was Cargield House near the market town of Dumfries. Gordon was educated at the local Academy, and later studied at Bonn and Wiesbaden in Germany, before attending engineering lectures at University College, London, and simultaneously serving as a pupil to J. G. C. Curtis. Once qualified, he was employed on Parliamentary surveys and other work as assistant to consulting engineer, William Build.

Holland and India In 1851, he moved to Holland, where he was appointed Assistant Engineer for the Amsterdam Waterworks under Bland W. Croker, and was appointed Chief Engineer himself in 1855. In 1859, he obtained a position as one of the resident engineers on the Madras Irrigation and Canal Company's Works, and was promoted to deputy chief engineer in 1869. In 1871, when these works were approaching completion, Mr. Gordon was appointed chief engineer for water supply in Victoria, Australia. As chief engineer, he continued the works of the Coliban Water-Supply for Bendigo and other towns of the goldfields district. and was one of the founders of the Lake Boga Irrigation Co. in 1889 and was also involved in the Chaffey brothers irrigation scheme at Mildura. In 1890 he was engineer for the Broken Hill Water Supply Company designing the Stephen's Creek scheme. He still took on occasional duties for the Board of Lands and Works as well as consulting to Tasmanian and New South Wales government departments. He received a Telford medal for the former and a Telford premium for the latter.

Personal life Gordon married twice, the second time to Violette Elizabeth, née Eddington, and had three sons and one daughter. He died on 25 February 1907 at his home, Ellerslie in Gordon Street Toorak, aged 78 leaving assets of £8289, including £2603 in property.