Percy Allan

For the Australian economist, see Percy Allan (economist). For those of a similar name, see Percy Allen.

Percy Allan (12 July 1861 – 7 May 1930) was a civil engineer who designed many public works in New South Wales, including the design of 583 bridges.

Percy Allan
Born	(1861-07-12)12 July 1861 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, Colony of New South Wales
Died	7 May 1930(1930-05-07) (aged 68) Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation	Civil engineer
Known for	Bridge design; Allan Truss bridge

Early life

Allan was the son of Maxwell Rennie Allan, principal Under-Secretary of State for New South Wales,^[1] and was born in Elizabeth Street, Sydney on 12 July 1861.^[2] He was educated at Calder House, Redfern, and joined the government Works Department in 1878 as a cadet.^[3]

Career

Between 1893 and 1896 he designed 349 bridges and punts in New South Wales, and between 1896 and 1899 he designed a further 126 bridges including the Pyrmont Bridge^[4] and the Glebe Island Bridge.

In 1900 he was appointed Principal Assistant Engineer for Rivers, Water Supply and Drainage, and supervised the completion of the Sydney low level sewerage system, which was a pumping system to replace harbour sewage outfalls. Following this he was appointed to the Hunter District Water Supply and Sewerage Board. He returned to the Public Works Department in 1912, and had overall design responsibility for the steel Pratt truss–type Tom Uglys Bridge over the Georges River.^[5] He is also credited with designing his own type of Truss Bridge, the Allan Truss.

He was awarded a Telford Premium by the Institution of Civil Engineers for a paper on port improvements in Newcastle, including excavation of the channel and extension of the breakwater.^[6]

Retirement and death

Allan retired from the public service in March 1926;^[7] and died suddenly at his home in Darlinghurst on 7 May 1930. He was survived by his wife and two sons.^[3]

See also

• Biography portal
• Engineering portal

• List of bridges designed by Percy Allan

References

1. Bruke, Ashworth P. (1895). History of the Colonial Gentry (PDF). Vol. 2. Harrison and Sons. p. xxii.
2. "Births, Marriages and Deaths". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 July 1861. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
3. "MR. PERCY ALLAN". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 May 1930. p. 12. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
4. "The New Pyrmont Bridge". The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 June 1902. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
5. "Tom Uglys Bridge over the Georges River (1929)". Heritage and conservation register. Roads & Traffic Authority. 16 March 2001. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
6. "SYDNEY ENGINEERS HONOURED". Sydney Morning Herald. 4 May 1921. p. 10. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
7. "Mr. Percy Allan - Colleagues' Farewell". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 March 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 25 October 2010.