James Bisset (mayor)

James Bisset

human

Ein sex anaa gender	male
Country wey e be citizen	South Africa
Name wey dem give am	James
Family name	Bisset
Ein date of birth	14 October 1836
Place dem born am	Aberdeen
Date wey edie	8 October 1919
Languages edey speak, rep anaa sign	English
Ein occupation	engineer, architect, politician
Educate for	University of London
Copyright status as creator	copyrights on works have expired

James Bisset (14th October, 1836 – 8th October, 1919) be an architect den civil engineer of de Cape Colony, responsible for many of de Cape's early buildings den communications infrastructure. He san be Mayor of Wynberg, South Africa.

Early life

Dem born James Bisset insyd 1836 insyd Aberdeen, Scotland, son of a City Councillor den Master of Mortifications William Bisset den ein wife Margaret. He be one of 6 brothers den 3 sisters. He train as an engineer at London University den did ein early work on Crystal Palace, Sydenham station as well as a range of railway projects den public buildings around Europe.

Early work insyd de Cape

Bisset's "Long Cottage" on Main Road, Muizenberg, Cape Town

Beaufort West's Town Hall, an early work of James Bisset.

Insyd 1858 ,dem sent am to de Cape, aged 22, to begin work on its first railway, for de infant Cape Railway and Dock Company (later to becam de Cape Government Railways). Dis railway stretch from Cape Town to Wellington, den ein team begin work for it for 31 March, 1859. Another section be build from Cape Town to Wynberg. Insyd 1861 he work for construction of Cape Town's tramways, including de line to Sea point, (originally horse-drawn) plus de "Green Point Tramway Company". He later san complete a similar project for Port Elizabeth.

During dis time, he san dey work on a range of architectural den engineering projects throughout de Cape, including de old Mutual Assurance building insyd Cape Town, Dutch Reformed Churches den several oda buildings insyd Beaufort West den Graaff-reinet, as well as de Town Hall den principal churches of Port Elizabeth.

Cape government railways

The Cape Government Railways in 1882.

The first railway line in East London.

Insyd 1872, de Cape attain a degree of independence from Britain den its first Prime Minister, John Molteno, driving a massive expansion insyd de Cape's economic infrastructure, wey dey consolidate de country's railway lines into de Cape Government Railways. De few existing rudimentary lines were to be turned into a nationwide network, connecting de country's ports to de diamond fields of Kimberley den de agricultural hinterland. James Bisset dey play a significant part insyd deciding for de gauge to be used for de national railway system, den be involve insyd selecting Cape gauge for dis purpose. He inaugurate den direct de first early railway line of de "Cape Midland Line", running from Port Elizabeth to Uitenhage. He san be appoint to lead construction of de "Cape Eastern Line", running from East London.

Political career

Bisset typically pursue several simultaneous occupations throughout ein career. He serve insyd de Anglo-Boer War den chair de School, Municipal den Hospital Boards.

He be a councillor for Liesbeeck Municipality (1883–1886), Mayor of Wynberg (1886, 1893) den briefly Mayor of Claremont.

While Mayor of Wynberg, he obtaine de grant of land for wat becam Wynberg Park.

He san dey succeed insyd making Wynberg de first municipality insyd de greater Cape Peninsula area to get electric street lighting.

Family den later life

Early insyd ein career, for 16th October, 1862, he dey marry Elizabeth Magdalena Christina Jarvis, daughter of Cape Town Mayor Hercules Jarvis, den dem dey get 6 sons den a daughter. One of ein sons, Murray Bisset be a Test cricketer hu captained South Africa before moving to Southern Rhodesia where he briefly serve as Governor of Southern Rhodesia. Another be de international Rugby union player William Molteno "Bill" Bisset.

James Bisset die for 8th October, 1919 at Beauleigh, ein house insyd Kenilworth, Cape Town.