Robert Clark
CLARK, Robert Harrison George, MIEAust (1879-1960)
Robert Clark was born at St Kilda, Victoria on July 5, 1879. He was the eldest son of saddler, Robert Dobson Clark, and his wife Catherine Clark (nee Brown). His grandfather, another Robert Clark, had been captain of the “Fullarton” that he sailed to Melbourne in 1854 leaving his 16 year old son in that port. The 16 year old, R H G Clark’s father, lived to be 100 dying in Perth in 1939.
In 1896, the family travelled from Victoria to Western Australia on the “Gabo” with Clark taking up an apprenticeship with the WA Government Railways at Fremantle on October 26, 1896. He completed his apprenticeship and was employed as a fitter at Fremantle on October 26, 1901. In November 1904 he moved to Midland and took over management of the Midland Workshop power house. He had studied electrical engineering at Fremantle Technical Classes and became a member of the WA Institution of Engineers.
On March 16, 1907, Clark married Frances Marian Bourne in Leederville.
In 1919 he was the Assistant Engineer at the East Perth Power Station and supervised the expansion of generating capacity to 12.5 MW. In 1929 Clark was appointed Electrical Engineer for the Tramways, Ferries and Electrical Supply Board. He supervised the design and construction of the East Perth “B” Power Station from 1935 to 1938 involving a new 25 MW generator.
Clark was elected a full Member of the Institution of Engineers in 1924, having been a foundation Associate Member in 1919. He retired in 1939 as Deputy General Manager and Electrical Engineer of the WA Government Tramways and Electricity Supply.
He died on September 9, 1960, survived by his wife.
References:
Cumming Papers;
West Australian, 1.12.1939, p23.
