Thomas Mercer Vigors

Thomas Mercer Vigors (1819-1881) Civil Engineer who worked on the East Indian Railway

Born at Burbage, Carlow, Ireland, the son of the Rev Thomas mercer Vigors and his wife Anne Cliffe

1857 Married at Dublin to Sophia Doyne and had four sons.

1878 Executive Engineer, 1st (temporary Superintending Engineer 3rd) grade on the Irrawaddy Valley State Railway

1881 Died aged 61 after illness. Died at Burbage, Carlow.

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1881 Obitury.

Our obituary notices recently announced the death of the above-lamented gentleman, who was eldest surviving eon of the late Rev. T. M. Vigors, of Burgage, and was born 19th Sept., 1819. He graduated at Trinity College. Dublin, in 1842; served his time as a civil engineer to E. Dickson, Esq., on S.W. Railway, England, and was afterwards employed for some years by the London and N.W. Railway Co.

He proceeded to Bengal in 1852. and was employed in surveys of a difficult nature by the East Indian Railway Company for several years. It wan while thus employed that the Setubal insurrection broke out and Mr Vigors received the thanks of the Governor General and Council of India for having given the first check to that rebellion by bravely standing his ground at Rajinahoe, and defending his residence there, when others were flying for their lives.

He was subsequently employed under the Indian Government on the Northern Bengal State Railway, and retired off: Engineer-in-chief of that railway in December, 1879. In 1874 his services in connection with the public works, during the famine. were most favourably reported upon by the Lieut.-General (Sir R. Temple), who brought to the notice of the Viceroy and Council the arduous duties the Engineer and other had to perform in keeping the works open fur all comers during most insalubrious month of the year in flooded country, and that they were all prostrated, more lees, by sickness.

In 1874 he was ordered to Burmah to report upon projected works in that country. He married in 1857, Sophie. youngest daughter of the late Rev. Charles Doyne. Rector of Fenagh, Co. Carlow, by whom he leaves four sons. He only returned from India last year. Undermined by his long residence there, his health suddenly gave way, and after a few weeks' illness he died on the 7th inst. Mr Vigor was well known in the Bengal Presidency, as a brilliant and daring horseman. and as a fearless and accomplished " skirakee."

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