Jeremiah Ryan (1839-1891)
1892 Obituary [1]
JEREMIAH RYAN was born in 1839, at Ootacamund, in the Presidency of Madras, and was educated at the Madras College.
At fifteen years of age he entered the service of the Madras Railway Company, as an engineering pupil under Sir George B. Bruce, then Engineer-in-Chief, and was engaged on the heaviest portion of the line, that from Madras to Beypore.
On the completion of his pupilage he remained with the Company for about three years as an Assistant Engineer. In 1860 he accepted an appointment under Messrs. Wythes and Jackson, and was employed as an Assistant Engineer on the Thul Ghaut Works of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, for which they held the contract.
He then entered, about the year 1863, into partnership with the late John Cameron, in conjunction with whom he carried out extensive contracts for the Bombay Municipality. This partnership continued until 1870, when the firm was wound up, and Mr. Ryan settled at Ootacamund. From that time he practically abandoned the pursuit of his profession.
Mr. Ryan lived a life of retirement on the Nilghiri Hills until 1887, when he went to Nadura, in the Madras Presidency, to manage an estate of which he was one of the lessees. While thus occupied his health gave way, and in August, 1889, he came to England, suffering from consumption. In spite of constant care and rest, the disease gradually gained ground, and he died at Ventnor, on the 24th of July, 1891.
Mr. Ryan was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 5th of December, 1865.