Basic Biographical Details | Name: | William Taylor Jack | | Designation: | | | Born: | 1862 | | Died: | 2 August 1943 | | Bio Notes: | William Taylor Jack was born in Ayr in 1862, the son of Thomas Jack, merchant, and his wife Jane Taylor. He was articled to John Reid & Son, cabinetmakers, in Ayr, and studied architecture and building construction at the branch classes of the Department of Science and Art at Ayr Academy. Thereafter he worked for J Meikle & Sons on the construction of Barlinnie Prison in Glasgow from 1880 onwards. He emigrated to Queensland in 1883, initially in Mackay and from 1885 in Brisbane where he joined the Queensland Public Works Department in 1888 as foreman for the Northern Division, based in Normanton. There he married Minnie Stewart McCullough on 3 June 1889. In 1892 he was transferred to Brisbane and in 1893 was put in charge of the southern and western districts. After a succession of administrative changes he was put in charge of a heavy programme of work in the Brisbane District in 1898.
In the following year, 1899, Jack reported Robert Robertson, the Under Secretary of the Works Department, for irregularities, resulting in an official inquiry which found these unproven. A second inquiry precipitated a Royal Commission in 1900 which exonerated Jack, but his relationship with the Government architect A B Brady and his second assistant J S Murdoch irreparably damaged. He became assistant chief inspector of the Construction and Maintenance Department in 1922 and resigned in 1925.
Jack died in Brisbane on 2 August 1943. | Private and Business Addresses| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland | Private | 1862 | Before 1883 | Place of birth and of training | | Mackay, Queensland, Australia | Business | 1883 | 1885 | | | Brisbane, Australia | Business | 1885 | 1888 | | | Normanton, Queensland, Australia | Business | 1888 | 1892 | | | Brisbane, Australia | Business | 1892 | 1943 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers| The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Queensland Public Works Department | 1888 | 1925 | | |
Buildings and Designs| This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1880 | Barlinnie Prison | Riddrie | | Glasgow | Scotland | Assisted builders, J Meikle & Sons |
ReferencesBibliographic References| The following books contain references to this : | | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Watson, Donald and McKay, Judith | 1994 | Queensland Architects of the 19th Century | | Brisbane: Queensland Museum | |
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