James Marchbanks
New Zealand land surveyor
About James Marchbanks
Lived 1862 – 1947 (aged 84–85). James Marchbanks was a New Zealand surveyor.
James Marchbanks (27 October 1862 – 6 July 1947) was a New Zealand civil engineer. He was Engineer and General Manager for the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) and then the Wellington Harbour Board (WHB).
He was born in Dunedin, educated at the University of Otago, and joined the Public Works Department in 1878 as surveyor and civil engineer. He moved to the WMR as Resident Engineer, then Chief Engineer and Locomotive Superintendent. The WMR was taken over in 1908 and became part of the New Zealand Government Railways.
In 1909 he was appointed Engineer to the Wellington Harbour Board, retiring as Chief Engineer and General Manager in 1932. His son Donald Marchbanks (1901–1987) succeeded him as WHB Chief Engineer.
He was a foundation member of the New Zealand Institution of Civil Engineers and was Honorary Treasurer of the New Zealand Institution of Engineers for many years.
He died in 1947 in the Hutt Hospital, and is buried in St John's Anglican Church cemetery, Trentham.
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Important facts
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Frequently asked questions
Who was James Marchbanks?
New Zealand land surveyor (1862–1947)
When was James Marchbanks born?
James Marchbanks was born in 1862 in Dunedin.
When did James Marchbanks die?
James Marchbanks died in 1947 in Heretaunga.
What was James Marchbanks's occupation?
James Marchbanks was a surveyor.
What nationality was James Marchbanks?
James Marchbanks was New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James Marchbanks. https://biography.guide/james-marchbanks/
MLA: "James Marchbanks." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-marchbanks/.
Chicago: "James Marchbanks." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-marchbanks/.
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