In the article below, Graham Ross profiles Thomas Bain, arguably one of South Africa's greatest engineers. The piece first appeared in the publication 'Past Masters: Pioneer Civil Engineers who contributed to the growth and Wealth of South Africa'. Click here to view the stories of other great engineers.
The younger Bain is well known for the many mountain passes and pioneering roads with which he was involved. He is probably the best known of the nineteenth century road makers who played such a major part in opening the hinterland of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope for economic development and the concomitant expansion of settlement.
Thomas was born in Graaff-Reinet on 29th September 1830, the second son and seventh child of Andrew Geddes Bain and Maria von Backstrom. As was common in the frontier settlers’ families of that day, Thomas and his siblings were educated largely at home. His father had enjoyed a classical education in Edinburgh, and his mother, of well-born German stock, had also had an excellent education.
Andrew Geddes Bain as an older man (Wikipedia)
Thomas Bain (Past Masters)
Andrew Bain was an esteemed engineer and geologist...
