Robert James Boyd
(1876 - 1953)
Robert James Boyd was born on 16 August 1876 at Broughton Vale in NSW. He studied engineering at Sydney University under Professor William Warren, graduating Bachelor of Engineering in 1898. His first employment was as an engineering draftsman in the Sewerage Construction Branch of the NSW Public Works Department and then in the NSW Government Railways until 1907. In that year he obtained a Master of Engineering degree from Sydney University and was employed as an engineer by Gummow, Forrest & Co, he firm pioneering the development of reinforced concrete technology in Australia.
In 1913 he established himself in his own consulting engineering business and did work in NSW and Queensland, but in 1915 returned to an employed position as an engineering draftsman at the Naval Works Office, Melbourne, and this included the design of workshops on Cockatoo Island in Sydney.
From 1915 to 1924 his employment was as Draftsman for the Metropolitan Railway Construction Branch of the NSW Railways, designing the Sydney City Railway. In 1920 his role was designated as Chief Draftsman and during JJC Bradfield’s absence overseas for much of 1922 Boyd acted as Chief Engineer. In 1924 his position was formally titled Principal Designing Engineer. During this time, among other structures, he designed the Eddy Avenue Bridge on the City Railway – the first use of reinforced concrete by the NSW Railways to carry train loads. Boyd remained as Principal Designing Engineer until 1935 when he was made Inspecting Engineer for Steel and Bridges. In 1937 he left NSW to become Chief Designing Engineer for the Department of Irrigation, Water Supply and Sewerage in Queensland until his retirement in 1941 when he established himself as a private consulting engineer in Sydney.
Robert Boyd was a foundation associate member of the Institution of Engineers Australia in 1919, Vice Chairman and Chairman of Sydney Division of IE Aust between 1920 and 1923, a national councillor of IE Aust from 1921 to 1941 and President of the Institution of Engineers Australia in 1936 - 1937.
From 1929 until 1945 Boyd represented the Institution on the Council of the Commonwealth Engineering Standards Association, later Standards Association of Australia. In 1941 Boyd was awarded the Peter Nichol Russell Memorial Medal by Engineers Australia.
Robert Boyd died in Sydney on 26 December 1953. He had married Katherine but she pre-deceased him, and since his death notice gives only his sister as surviving family it is presumed that he had no children. .
To read the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation obituary for Robert James Boyd please use this link:'
