Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Chief engineer of the Great Southern & Western Railway, circa 1920-1931. John Francis Sides, who was born in Co. Wexford (1) on 20 September 1872, was a son of Henry Edward Sides and his wife Eliza, née Hinds.(2) He studied engineering at Queen's College, Belfast, where he had an engineering scholarship, and obtained both the BE and BSc degrees of the Royal University of Ireland. After graduating, he spent fifteen months - from September 1895 until January 1897 - as assistant to ABRAHAM MCCAUSLAND STEWART ABRAHAM MCCAUSLAND STEWART , of Derry; during this time he was engaged on the city waterworks extension, the proposed widening of Carlisle Bridge, and various works for the Harbour Board. During the next two years he was assistant to JAMES OTWAY  JAMES OTWAY in Waterford, to JOHN LANYON  JOHN LANYON in Belfast, and lastly to KENNETT BAYLEY KENNETT BAYLEY , chief engineer of the Great Southern & Western Railway Company, who employed him on preparations for the line between Cork and Fermoy. It seems probable that he remained in the company's employment from this time until, in about 1920, he himself was appointed chief engineer in succession to ALBERT GORDON. H ALBERT GORDON. H e held the post until his death, which took place in 1931.(3) He was survived by his wife, Lillie Deane Sides, whom he had married in 1910 or 1911, a son and a daughter, ELIZABETH F. SIDES.  ELIZABETH F. SIDES.

ICEI: elected member, 1922; delivers paper, 'Notes on the construction of a 2 ft 6 ins reinforced concrete water conduit', 7 April 1924;(2) awarded Mullins Silver Medal for same, 4 January 1926;(4) council member, 1927-28.
Inst.CE: elected associate member, 5 December 1899.(5)

Addresses: Home: 126 Circular Road South, Kilmainham, 1911;  Sevenoaks, Sarsfield Road, Inchicore, <=1922 until death.

See BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Sides's candidate's circular for admission to Inst.CE, 31 Mar 1899, in Inst.CE archives (courtesy of Susannah Roberts), from Thom's directories and from ICEI lists of members.

(1) 1911 Census, http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai000167644/ (last visited Feb 2009).
(2) www.familysearch.org.
(3) TICEI 58 (1931-32). ?; he has disappeared from the directories by 1932.
(4) TICEI 50 (1923-24), 186-209.
(5) TICEI 52 (1925-26), 61.
(6) Min.Proc.Inst.CE 139 (1899-1900, Pt. I), 180.


Author Title Date Details
Sides, John Francis 'Notes on the construction of a 2 ft 6 ins reinforced concrete water conduit' 1924 Paper delivered to ICEI, 7 April 1924, published in TICEI 50 (1923-24), 186-209