Obituaries Australia

The late Mr. John Fyfe, whose death occurred at a private hospital at Waverley yesterday morning, came to Sydney with his father in 1841, when he was a boy 7 years of age. His father was then chief engineer of the paddle-steamer Rose, which was the pioneer of the old A.S.N. service, since developed into the well-known A.U.S.N. Company. The old Rose was 150ft long, and had a beam of 20ft. About 14 years later young, Fyfe went to sea as an engineer in the same steamer. After some time spent at sea, Mr. Fyfe was employed in the dredge service in Sydney. He subsequently went to Queensland as dredge engineer, and gained some reputation by dredging the Redbank Channel, which still retains the depth of water he secured for it.

On returning to Sydney, Mr. Fyfe was employed at Mort's Dock, where he supervised the construction of the first machinery for the Crown-street reservoir, and when that was completed he accepted a position in the City Council and took charge at the Crown-street waterworks. When the Water Board was formed he still remained in the service as an engineer, an appointment which he held until his retirement 12 years ago.

Not long ago Mr. Fyfe celebrated the 63rd anniversary of his wedding. He was a prominent member of the Highland Society. Two of his sons are employed in Sydney — Mr. John Fyfe as an officer of the Water Board, and Mr. William Fyfe as an engineer in the railway service.