Richard Speight
Richard Speight (1838-1901)
1903 Obituary [1]
RICHARD SPEIGHT died at Perth, Western Australia, on the 19th September, 1901.
He was born in England on the 2nd December, 1838, and when his father, who was in the service of the Midland Railway Company, died in 1851, that Company placed the son in one of its offices. There he showed remarkable aptitude for railway work, and his capacity was recognised by his transfer from one position to another, until in 1860, after nine years' experience, he was taken into the office of the General Manager, Mr. (subsequently Sir James) Allport. Under the eye of his chief, he rendered such good service to the Company that when Mr. Allport retired in 1877 and Mr. Noble, the Assistant General Manager succeeded him, Mr. Speight was chosen without hesitation to fill the post vacated by Mr. Noble.
During the years that succeeded, his capacity as a railway administrator impressed itself so strongly on the British railway world that, when, towards the end of the year 1883, the Government of Victoria was on the look-out for a man to place at the head of its railway system, to introduce new methods of expert management, Mr. Speight was strongly recommended, and finally, after due inquiry, was offered the position of Chairman of the Victorian Railway Commissioners. He accepted the offer, and arrived in Victoria with his family in February, 1884, under a seven years' engagement. . . . . [more]