John Job Crew Bradfield

John Bradfield was an Australian engineer who played a pivotal role in the design and construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the underground railway system in Sydney. He was born on December 26, 1867 in Sandgate, Queensland, to a Crimean War veteran father and a mother of Irish descent. He was a brilliant student who won several scholarships and medals at school and university. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1889 and a Master of Engineering degree in 1896. He joined the New South Wales Department of Public Works in 1891 and worked on various projects such as dams, bridges, and railways. He became interested in the idea of building a bridge across Sydney Harbour and an underground railway network for the city. He submitted his proposals to the government and gained public support for his vision. He travelled to Europe and America to study the latest engineering techniques and designs. He oversaw the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge from 1923 to 1932. The bridge was a remarkable feat of engineering that became an iconic symbol of Sydney and Australia. It was also a source of employment and hope for many people during the Great Depression. Bradfield also supervised the building of the City Circle railway line that connected the central business district with the suburbs. He retired from the Department of Public Works in 1933 and became a consulting engineer for various projects in Australia and overseas. He also devised an ambitious plan to divert water from northern Queensland to irrigate the arid regions of western Queensland and northeastern South Australia. This plan, known as the Bradfield Scheme, was never implemented due to its high cost and technical challenges. Bradfield died of a heart attack on September 23, 1943 in Gordon, New South Wales. He was buried at St John's Anglican Church in Gordon. He was survived by his wife Edith Jenkins, whom he married in 1891, and their six children. He was honoured with many awards and recognitions for his contributions to engineering and society. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1933. He received honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and the University of Queensland. He was awarded the Telford Medal by the Institution of Civil Engineers in London in 1934. Several places and institutions were named after him, such as the Bradfield Highway that runs across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Bradfield Park in Milsons Point, and the Bradfield College in Lindfield. He is widely regarded as one of Australia's greatest engineers and visionaries who shaped modern Sydney.