*O B I T U A R Y
Sir Alexander Macdonald Rouse, CIE, FCH, who was born on 14 September,
1878, died in November 1966.
Educated at St Paul's School, he studied at the Royal Indian Engineering
College, Cooper's Hill, from 1897-1900, gaining a Diploma which exempted
him from the Institution's examinations.
His practical training was with the Indian Public Works Department on the
building of Kosi Bridge for the Bengal North-Western Railway in 1901. A
year later he joined the Buildings and Roads Branch of the PublicWorks
Department, United Provinces, where he held various posts until his appoint-
ment in 1907 as Under-Secretary to the United Provinces Government (build-
ings, roads, railways).
While on leave in England in 1910, he studied the latest developments in
waterworks and sewerage, and in1911 became Executive Engineer,Allahabad,
leaving after only a few months to take up an appointment as Superintendent
of Works on the construction of a ‘temporary Delhi'-the shadow capital city
to be built complete with Residency, Government offices, houses, roads, race-
track, etc. for use while the new capital was under construction. In 1913 he
became Superintending Engineer at New Delhi Works, under Sir Hugh
Keeling (M), Chief Engineer, and 12 years later, after filling a leave vacancy
in United Provinces for eight months as ChiefEngineer,hesucceeded Sir
Hugh Keeling in 1925 as Chief Engineer in New Delhi.
Every phase of city engineering now came within his scope, and over the
next six years almost all works were carried out in his own extensive work-
shops-whether in steel, stone, wood or brick. Added responsibilities came
when he wasalso appointed Chief Engineer to the Public Works Department,
responsible on the administrative side for all works for the Central Govern-
ment throughout India. In 1931 he came home on leave, prior to retirement,
but with the approach of World War I1 accepted a post as Chief Technical
Adviser to the Home Office in 1938 (ARP), later to be termed Chief Engineer,
Ministry of Home Security.
With his outstanding ability and experience in municipal engineering-he
could resolve everyhousing problem, of coolie or Viceroy-and for his workin
New Delhi, he received a knighthood in 1931. A Fellow of Coopers Hill, he
was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1913. He was
a member of the Town Planning Institute.
Sir Alexander, a very human person, won lasting loyalty and affection from
those whoworked for him, and was markedly popular among Indian
contractors.
He was elected a Member in 1941.
I am gradually working through a large collection of interesting, beautiful and often unusual items that have accrued over many years. I will be listing many items over the coming weeks so please do follow and check my other listings.