George Herbert MacCarthy Hyde

George Herbert MacCarthy Hyde (1869-1923), Engineer and M.I.M.E.

1869 Born the son of Adam Hyde, Iron Master. Brother of Augustus Charles Hyde

He worked for the Government Factory and has supervised some of the most important public works in Ceylon.

Starting his professional life in 1884 he served an apprenticeship with Messars T. Piggot and Co (?), Birmingham, and went through the drawing office, the pattern, smith, fitting and erecting shops and foundry of this large firm of manufacturers of horizontal and vertical engines, boilers, refrigerating machinery, gas and water apparatus. Upon the completion of this training Mr Hyde was given a position as draughtsman by the same firm, and being promoted to be assistant to the works manager a year later, he superintended the manufacture of several large gasometers, roof girder and bridge work etc. In 1892 Mr Hyde undertook the superintendence of the erection of plant for a large chemical works at Lostock, Gralam, Cheshire, and in the following year he went to Colombo in the capacity of Chief Engineer of the Colombo Commercial Company, which employs between 300 and 400 men. Holding this position for 7 years, he designed and superintended the manufacture and erection of numerous iron factories, and the equipment of the same with machinery for the manufacture of tea, etc. The construction of several aerial wire ropeways, and turbine installations for utilising the available water power on tea estates during this period. In the closing year of the nineteenth century Mr Hyde obtained at the hands of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, the responsible position of Mechanical Engineer at the Government Factory at Colombo. This branch of the Public Works Department, of which Mr Hyde has complete control, constructs the iron work for roads and bridges, and erects all the new public buildings in Colombo. Among the works carried out during the first year of Mr Hyde's tenure of office were 230 iron buildings and other general works for the accommodation of the Boer prisoners of war at Diyatalawa and Ragama, two large wharf jetties, and a road bridge over the river Dandagamu. In the following two years Mr Hyde acted as Executive Officer, superintending the following important constructions, some of which have not yet been completed: a concrete quay wall 660ft long, a wharf landing jetty 150ft long, the new Colombo Technical College, an eye Hospital in commemoration of her late Majesty Queen Victoria, and minor harbour improvements.

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