Reginald Keating
KEATING, Reginald John BE MIEAust (1903-1986)
R J Keating was born in Perth, the eldest son of tailor James Keating and his wife Margaret Keating, nee Egan. He was educated at Sacred Heart, Highgate and Perth Modern School, topping the State for his university entrance examinations.
He studied engineering at the University of Western Australia, being awarded his degree at Government House Ballroom by the then Governor, Sir William Campion, on May 7, 1926. Joining the Public Works Department, one of his early postings was as Engineer in Charge, Barbalin in 1928.
Appointed Assistant District Engineer, Northam, he wrote 'Continuous welding of exposed mains as applied to the Goldfields Water Supply' JIEA, 7, 1935, jointly authored with Norman Fernie. In 1940 Keating became the District Engineer Northam having acted in that position for extended periods. In 1948 he became Principal Assistant Engineer, Goldfields Agricultural Water Supply. With the merger of the Goldfields Agricultural Water Supply Branch and Country Water Supply, Keating became the Principal Assistant Engineer of the new Country Water Supplies Branch. From 1962 to 1967 he was the Engineer Country Water Supplies.
On September 28, 1932 he had married Cecilia Mary (Sheila) Williams at Sacred Heart Church in Highgate.
Keating had a long association with the Institution of Engineers, being admitted as a Student Member in 1924 and a Member in 1931. In 1935 he was awarded the R W Chapman Medal from the Institution of Engineers with Norman Fernie.
Keating died at Glendalough on December 1, 1986. He had made a significant contribution to the State though his work on continuous welded pipelines and his design and implementation of the Northern Comprehensive Farmlands Scheme.
References:
Richard G Hartley, River of Steel, A History of the Western Australian Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supply 1903 2003, Access Press, Bassendean
John Le Page, Building a State, Water Authority of Western Australia, 1986
State Library of Western Australia, [Interview with Reg Keating (2.6MB), ] Interviewed by Richard G Hartley, Call No OH3903/11, 2002.
