Andrew Don Swan (1874-1942)
1942 Obituary [1]
ANDREW DON SWAN was born at Moatmill, Tealing, Angus, on the 4th January 1874, and died in Edinburgh on the 31st October 1942.
He was educated privately and at Dundee High School and Dundee College, and pursued his engineering studies at the Dundee Technical Institute.
After completing his practical training under Mr. R. Blackadder, of Dundee, he joined the staff of Messrs. Walter Meik & Sons, of Burntisland, Fife, and later became resident engineer in charge of the design and construction of the new wet dock and graving dock at Avonmouth.
From 1909 to 1913 he was assistant chief engineer to the Montreal Harbour Commissioners. In 1912 he reported on the future development of the port of Vancouver and prepared plans for the Dominion Government.
In February 1914 he was appointed Consulting Engineer to the Vancouver Harbour Commissioners. He served as one of a Commission of three engineers appointed to select a site for the dry dock at Levis, Quebec, and acted as an expert witness in several large arbitrations. He was offered the position of Chief Engineer of Public Works by the Canadian Government, but declined and started a consulting practice in Montreal, in connexion with which he designed and supervised the construction of docks and harbours in many parts of Canada.
He retired in 1936 and returned to reside in England.
On the outbreak of war in September 1939 he was appointed Regional Works Adviser for Scotland, and held that position until his death....[more]