Robert Downes

DOWNES, Robert Henry Burnside BE AMICE

Robert Downes joined the Public Works Department in 1895, and became a Licensed Surveyor in 1896. He worked on the Goldfields Water Supply in 1897.

Downes acted as an Inspector of Mines in 1899, and was Resident Engineer at Day Dawn in 1903.

Downes established a practice as an Engineer and Architect in Perth. Notably, in 1907 he proposed a tramway across the bed of the River Swan between North and South Perth. This concept would have been similar to the Brighton Tramway in England. In that year (1907) he also presented a paper entitled "Roof strains, theory and practice" to the Society of Architects. (MBEJ 29/6/1907 p. 17-19; 6/7/1907 pp. 17-19)

Downes was admitted to the degree of BE (ad eundum graduum) by the University of Western Australia in 1917.

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References:
GG 1896, p. 387.
BB 1897.
RDM 1899.
MBEJ 25/7/1903; 12/1/1907 p. 20.