Richard Thomas

Richard Thomas engineer of Kingstown Harbour

The Northern Star and Leeds General Advertiser 

(Leeds, England), Saturday, May 12, 1838; Issue 26
On the 24th April, 1838; at his residence, Crofton Place, deeply regretted by his family and friends, Richard Thomas, Esq., engineer of Kingstown Harbour. He was the second son of the late Mr. William Thomas of Halifax, and had been appointed director or manager of that great national work now carrying on in Dublin, under the direction of Colonel Burgoyne, and the commissioners of the Board of Works.

Ambitious of affecting the great undertaking in the most complete manner possible, and to the satisfaction of all who are concerned of it; he laboured night and day for that purpose, and by his intense application to the discharge of his worldly duties he has become a sacrifice to their pressing necessities.

The Board of Works and the public have thus lost in him a useful and efficient member of society, as he possessed all the necessary requisites for forming a character of the first rate abilities in his business. He was a man of strict honour – unflinching integrity – just and encouraging to his workmen, and charitable to the poor.

At the request of the men employed at the works to testify their esteem, his remains were alleged to borne to the grave by them, as a mark or token of respect justly due to his memory, for the upright manner in which he discharged his duties during life. He has left a widow and a family of young children who lament his loss.