Tom Paterson
PATERSON, Tom Nicol, AMWAIE AMIEAust (1883-1954)
Perth City Engineer from 1909-1912. From 1917-1923 in partnership with brother Ken in engineering contracting in Sydney. Both foundation members of the Institution in 1919.
Tom was born in Norwood, South Australia, on July 31, 1883, the second son of surveyor Charles Anthony Paterson and his wife Lucy Paterson nee Paltridge. Tom’s middle name was from his grandfather, Nicol Robert Paterson, a pioneer businessman in Fremantle and pioneer landholder at Ravenswood near Pinjarra.
At the time of Tom’s birth his father was working as a member of the South Australian Government Survey Department. His father returned to Western Australia, in 1884 and established himself as a Licensed Surveyor in Pinjarra. He then moved to Perth and established a partnership with James William Wright as Wright & Paterson, Surveyors and Architects, on March 31, 1885. His father was elected as a City of Perth Councillor in November 1896, a position he held until his death on November 8, 1898.
Tom attended Perth Grammar School and at the age of 18 became a Cadet Engineer with the City of Perth. He worked under the very professional and capable City Engineer, Henry Thomas Haynes. With the departure of H T Haynes, Tom was appointed Perth City Engineer, on August 16, 1909. Tom held the position until 1912.
On June 17, 1911, he married Clara May Clement at St Bartholomew Church in East Perth. They had four children, Lucie Doris born 1912, Perth, Mary Clement born 1913, Albany, Charles Alan born 1914, Perth and Judith Jean born 1920, Drummoyne NSW.
In 1912, Tom joined the Western Australian Government as Engineer, Albany Water Supply.
By 1915, Tom and his family had moved to Toorak, Victoria. By 1917 they were in Waverley, New South Wales.
Tom and his older brother Kenneth James Paterson were foundation Associate Members of the Institution of Engineers Australia in 1919. Tom was also an Associate Member of the WA Institution of Engineers.
Tom and his older brother Ken set up an engineering and contracting partnership at 5 Barrack Street, Sydney as Paterson Bros and Teesdale Smith with George Basil Teesdale Smith. Ken had joined the Western Australian Public Works Department in November 1901 and had been an engineer on the Port Hedland Marble Bar Railway. The partnership was involved with building significant projects such as the Cessnock Reservoir and the preparatory works for the Centennial Park Reservoir. From July 21, 1923, the partnership was dissolved and they continued to consult under their individual names.
Tom died at the Tamworth Base Hospital, February 17, 1954. His wife and older brother had died in 1953.
References:
West Australia, 9.4.1885, p. 2.
Daily News, 8.11.1898, p. 3.
Western Mail, 1.2.1902, p. 11.
Daily News, August 9, 1909, p. 9.
Western Mail, 21.8.1909, p. 38.
West Australian, 13.2.1912, p. 6.
Albany Advertiser, 5.11.1913, p. 3.
Newcastle Sun, 6.3.1923, p. 1.
Daily Telegraph, 6.8.1923, p. 1.
Daily Telegraph, 20.11.1923, p. 6.
Sydney Morning Herald, 19.2.1954, p. 24.
Compiled by Chris Fitzhardinge July 16, 2026.
