Edward Orpen Moriarty
| Edward Orpen Moriarty | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
11 October 1824 County Kerry, Ireland |
| Died | 18 September 1896 (aged 71) Southsea, Hampshire, |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Education | Trinity College Dublin |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Spouse(s) | Leila Helen Geary (1853-1896) |
| Parent(s) |
Merion Marshall Moriarty Annie Orpen |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | civil engineer |
| Projects | Newcastle Harbour, Clarence River entrance |
Edward Orpen Moriarty (1824-1896) MA MInstCE was an Australian civil engineer, who undertook a number of important public works in New South Wales in the late nineteenth century.
Moriarty was born in County Kerry, Ireland, the second son of Commander Merion Moriarty, R.N. Staying behind to complete his education when his parents migrated to Australia, he completed a Bachelor of Arts and then Master of Arts at Trinity College, Dublin, was engaged as a cadet on the construction of the Isle of Portland breakwater and became a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers. He was articled as a pupil to William Morgan (inventor of the feathering float for paddle-steamers), in the firm of Acraman, Morgan and Company, of Bristol, during which he assisted with the design and construction of a number of steamships including “Little Western”, “Avon”, “Severn”, and a large steam yacht built for the Austrian Government, the “Archduke Frederick”. Moriarty then worked under Sir John Macneill on railways back in Ireland, and passed the examination for County Surveyor in the Board of Works.
In 1848 he migrated to New South Wales, initially being employed as assistant in the Surveyor-General’s Department undertaking survey work in Queensland under Sir Thomas Mitchell. In 1852 he commenced private engineering practice in Sydney. Moriarty married Leila Helen, née Geary, in Brisbane on 18 May 1853.
Between 1853 and 1855 he held the position of engineer and surveyor for the Steam Navigation Board and from 1855 to 1858 was engineer on the Hunter River improvements. He was then appointed Engineer-in-Chief for Harbours and River Navigation with the NSW Department of Works from 1858 to 1859. While in the military, in the 1850s (and with approval), he undertook external commissions for the Penrith Nepean Bridge Co. and the first Pyrmont Bridge in 1866.
In 1855 Morarity was Engineer Surveyor for the Hunter river improvements and in that capacity made soundings and mapped the Hunter River at the Port of Newcastle which were developed into a plan to improve the entrance to the sea by constructing extended breakwaters and river control walls as well as develop the port faculties to improve the export of coal (Stewart 1983). In particular, Morarity is noted for his involvement in the construction of the Dyke a river training wall on the western bank of the Hunter river at Newcastle which was developed into a coal loading facility and basin equipped with hydraulic cranes for loading coal and an associated rail link.
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