Herbert Cresswell
CRESSWELL, Herbert Augustine, MICE MIEAust (1869-1963)
Herbert was born at Rosedale, Victoria, on December 1, 1869. He was the son of the Reverend Arthur William Cresswell and his wife Janet Hamilton Cresswell (nee Gillespie). Herbert’s early years were at Rosedale until, in January 1873, his father was transferred to Camberwell, Victoria, as Vicar of St John’s Church.
Herbert attended the Church of England Grammar School, South Yarra, matriculating in January 1889.
He worked for the Victorian Railways and then for an architect in private practice, acquiring civil engineering, architectural, surveying and drafting skills. He had met John Muir whilst he was working at the Victorian Railways and it is thought that this relationship encouraged Herbert to travel to Western Australia. Herbert arrived at Albany, in Western Australia, on the “RMS Orient” on Saturday December 5, 1891 and started working under John Muir in the WA Public Works Department (PWD) as a draughtsman, in Perth, on Tuesday December 8, 1891.
Herbert’s first job was acting as a field assistant on the Eastern Rail Deviation survey from Bellevue to Mount Helena via Parkerville and the regrading of the rail from Chidlow to Spencers Brook. He moved to the Ways and Works Branch WA Government Railways (WAGR) on July 1, 1894 and on July 1, 1896, he was promoted to Assistant Engineer.
On December 17, 1896, he married Mary Elizabeth Law at St George’s Cathedral, Perth. They had no surviving children and Mary died on December 31, 1897.
In 1897, he was reported as being seriously ill with Typhoid and was fortunate to survive.
By 1899, Herbert was the Resident Engineer for the WAGR at Geraldton, spending several years acting as Resident Engineer Perth. In 1907 he was seconded to the Geraldton Water Board. He remained at Geraldton until 1912 when he was transferred to the position of Resident Engineer (WAGR) at Coolgardie. He also had WAGR postings at Narrogin and then Northam.
Herbert married secondly Helen Gwendolen Carlile, the daughter of Sir Edward Carlile, on December 22, 1903, at St John’s Church, Camberwell, Victoria. They had four children, Isabella Evelyn (born 1905), Herbert Keith (born 1908), Edward Evan (born 1911) and Arthur Guy Carlile (born 1915).
In August 1914, Herbert was appointed Honorary Major of the 84th Infantry (Goldfields regiment). He was ultimately made Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Engineers and Railways Staff Corps.
In 1916 he was admitted to the University of WA Convocation, effectively endorsing his engineering skill, knowledge and experience.
In February 1921, he was promoted to Chief Engineer Ways and Works, WAGR. In 1931 WAGR was restructured and he was appointed as Chief Civil Engineer WAGR.
Herbert became an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (London) in 1905 and became a full Member in 1921. He was also active in the Institution of Engineers, Australia becoming a full Member by 1927. In 1928, he was Vice Chairman and 1929 Chairman of the WA Division.
He retired from WAGR on December 31, 1934, having been involved in a massive expansion of the rail network. When Herbert joined WAGR there were 203 miles of track. When Herbert retired there was 4,338 miles of track.
By 1941, he had returned to Victoria to live at Toorak. Herbert died on October 5, 1963, aged 93, at Malvern, Victoria. He was survived by his second wife Helen and their four children.
References:
West Australian, 18.12.1896, p4
West Australian, 9.3.1897, p4
West Australian, 28.8.1914, p6
West Australian, 10.2.1921, p6
Mirror, 4.8.1934, p9
West Australian, 31.4.1937, p16
Western Australian Railway Records 1879 to 1946
Public Service Lists 1905
National Library of Scotland, History of the Carlile Family
Compiled by Chris Fitzhardinge, January 14, 2025
