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John Richard Donovan Glascott

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John Richard Donovan Glascott
Born(1877-06-10)10 June 1877
Nuddea, Bengal, British India
Died6 April 1938(1938-04-06) (aged 60)
EducationBedford Modern School
Known forChief Engineer of the Burma Railways

John Richard Donovan Glascott CIE (10 June 1877 - 6 April 1938) was Chief Engineer of the Burma Railways, later first Agent to the Burma Railways, Port Commissioner for Burma and a Member of the Legislative Council of Burma.[1][2][3][4] He was also an accomplished sportsman who, in his youth, played rugby for the East Midlands, Bedford and the Barbarians and would in later life play cricket for Burma.[5] He also served as Commander of the Burma Railways Auxiliary Force.[5]

Early life

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Glascott was born on 10 June 1877 in Nuddea, Bengal, India.[6] He was the son of George Annesley Glascott and Charlotte Ellen Louisa (née Meares),[1] and educated in England at Bedford Modern School, from 1886 to 1895.[5] Glascott was always interested in railways and contributed to the Model Engineer & Amateur Electrician in 1902 at the age of fifteen.[7] After leaving school, he became Captain of the Bedford Wanderers and later became Captain of the Town Club.[5] Glascott played on several occasions for the East Midlands and the Barbarians.[5]

Career

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After school, Glascott joined the Queen’s Engineering Works in Bedford and afterwards gained experience with The Tube and the Great Eastern Railway.[1][5] In 1902 he went to India as an Assistant Engineer to the Bengal Nagpur Railway.[1][5] In 1904 he was appointed an Assistant Engineer in the Burma Railways,[1][5] in 1907 became Signals Engineer and in 1911 became Deputy Chief Engineer of the entire rail network.[1][5] In 1919 he was made Chief Engineer of the Burma Railways.[1][5]

In 1920, Glascott became Agent of the Burma Railways.[1] In 1926 he was made CIE.[8] In 1929, when the Indian Government took control of the Burma Railways, Glascott became first Agent of the Burma State Railways.[1][5][3]

Glascott was also Commander of the Burma Railways Auxiliary Force and played cricket for Burma against Madras and Ceylon.[5] He was reputed to be one of the best billiard players in the country.[5] He retired in 1932.[5]

In 1907, Glascott married Miss O’Reilley Blackwood who survived him.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Glascott, John Richard Donovan, (10 June 1877–6 April 1938)". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U210088. ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1.
  2. ^ The Edinburgh Gazette, January 1, 1926, p. 8
  3. ^ a b "The Railway Magazine". 1926.
  4. ^ "Railway Gazette International". 1938.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Obituary in The Eagle, Bedford Modern School Magazine, Vol. XXI, No.6, July 1938
  6. ^ The Times of India, 15 June 1877
  7. ^ "The Model Engineer and Amateur Electrician". 1902.
  8. ^ "The India Office and Burma Office List". 1947.