Charles Yelverton O'Connor.
Civil Engineer

1843: Born third and youngest son of John O'Connor, Gravelmount and Castletown, Navan, Co. Meath, Ireland.

1865: Emigrated to New Zealand.

Spent twenty six years working as a engineer in New Zealand, where he married Susan Ness; with whom he had seven children.

1891: Arrived with family in Western Australia to take up position of Chief Engineer for the whole of the colony.  

Was responsible amongst other things for the construction of Fremantle Harbour, development of the new colonies railway system and most notably, for bringing the great water pipeline across the desert.  It was to fuel the burgeoning new communities that had been founded on the back of the amazing gold finds of the time.

1902: Shot himself on the beach near Fremantle.