LEE, Francis Mark (1901-1995)
Francis Mark Lee BCE, FIE Aust was born on 11 July 1901 in Sydney NSW, the son of Francis Charles Belton Lee, known as Frank, and his wife Mary Ellen nee Cherry. ‘Frank’ Lee was an architect and builder but in about 1906 considerable industrial trouble affected the building industry so he decided to abandon his profession and return to a life on the land, at which he had spent his earlier years.
In 1908 he acquired suitable land at Balliang from the subdivision of a large grazing property, Staughton Vale, situated between Geelong and Bacchus Marsh. While the farm at Balliang was being prepared, Mary and her three children went to stay with her father, Edward Cherry in Gisborne. Initially they were taught by a governess but then attended the New Gisborne State School.
When the residence on the farm at Balliang was completed I about 1909 the family moved there and 'Mark', as he was known to the family, commenced at a recently opened State School which had been built about a mile from the Lee’s property. He attended the school until 1914 when he acquired, by examination, a resident scholarship to Geelong College.
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Mark entered Geelong College in 1915 initially as a day student but then as a boarder from 6 June 1917. He very soon acquired the nick-name ‘Dick’ which was to cling to him all his life. W. H. ‘Dick’ Lee was a famous Collingwood footballer of the day. His time at Geelong College was marked with many prizes for his scholastic achievements culminating in 1919 with becoming Dux of the School particularly due to high performances in Science, Mathematics and English. In this he repeated the success of his brother Alan who was Dux 4 years earlier in 1915.
As well as his good scholastic record 'Mark' was a good all-round sportsman representing Geelong College in the 1st football Teams of 1918 and 1919; the 1st Cricket Teams of 1918 and 1919; and the Athletics Team in 1915, 1918 and 1919.
In the government exams in 1919 he was awarded an exhibition for entry to Melbourne University and through his good school record he also received a resident scholarship to Ormond College, and in 1920 he commenced the four year Civil Engineering course. He played cricket with distinction for both Ormond College and the University.
Graduating as Bachelor of Civil Engineering (B.C.E.) in 1923, he was appointed to a position in the design office of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission with which authority he had spend two summer vacations as an undergraduate on the construction of the Hume Reservoir near Albury.
After two years in that position he secured the job of assistant to the resident engineer on the construction of the O’Shannassy Dam for the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. On completion of this work in November 1927 he was transferred to the construction of Silvan Dam another addition to Melbourne’s water storages.
In November 1927 'Mark' married Ethel Margaret Cromie, a former University Colleague and for some years they lived in the construction camp at Silvan and while they were there two daughters were born.
In 1934 he succeeded to the position of resident engineer at Silvan and under his control the works in and around the Dam were completed. He was then transferred to head office as Chief Construction Engineer and later as Assistant Engineer for Water Supply. In 1942 following the untimely death of the Chief Engineer of Water Supply, 'Mark' was appointed to that position which he held for many years until appointed Deputy Engineer-in-Chief, a position he occupied until his retirement.
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At the time of his appointment as Chief Engineer of Water Supply in 1942 all new works were suspended because of the war and all activities diverted to defense requirements. Once the war was over work commenced on the postponed design and construction of the Upper Yarra Dam near Warburton which was urgently needed to cater for Melbourne’s growing population.
In 1948 'Mark', accompanied by Ethel, was sent to Europe to study water supply practices and to attend conferences on large dams and on soil mechanics. They had a magnificent journey by a mode of transport, sadly, long since superseded by quicker and more efficient, but far less comfortable, means. They travelled by flying boat, spending daytime in the air and stopping overnight at hotels in various strategic locations along the way, the total journey to England taking a week or ten days.
'Mark' retired on his 65th birthday, 11 July 1966, having spent 41 years with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works.
Outside of work he took part in many other activities. He was a member of the Royal Society and of the Committee of the Box Hill Technical School for many years including 5 years as President. He was an active member of the Anglican Church, and on the Vestry of the local parish church and Vicar’s Warden for several years.
On the sporting side he had to give up cricket when located in the country but he was a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club for 68 years. In lieu of cricket he took up golf at which he became very proficient and soon got down to a handicap of 4. Indeed his handicap remained in single figures for nearly 50 years. At Huntingdale Golf Club he was a committee member for many years and Captain for 4 years leading to the rare honour of being elected a Life Member in 1968.
Following his retirement from work, 'Mark' set off on a world tour in 1968, sadly alone as Ethel had died in 1962. He played golf on some of the famous old golf courses of Great Britain followed by a tour of Europe with his elder daughter and her husband and, though retired, he attended a conference on Large Dams in Turkey and toured water supply and hydro-electric works as well as many ancient biblical sites.
Following his return to Australia, in 1969 he married Sadie Atkinson a retired New Zealand home science teacher who he had met in his travels. They spent 23 happy years in Christchurch before Sadie died in 1992. 'Mark' spent his declining years in Victoria where he had lived most of his life and died in Melbourne on 19 September 1995 at the age of 94.
Francis Mark Lee BCE, FIE Aust was born on 11 July 1901 in Sydney NSW, the son of Francis Charles Belton Lee, known as Frank, and his wife Mary Ellen nee Cherry. ‘Frank’ Lee was an architect and builder but in about 1906 considerable industrial trouble affected the building industry so he decided to abandon his profession and return to a life on the land, at which he had spent his earlier years.
In 1908 he acquired suitable land at Balliang from the subdivision of a large grazing property, Staughton Vale, situated between Geelong and Bacchus Marsh. While the farm at Balliang was being prepared, Mary and her three children went to stay with her father, Edward Cherry in Gisborne. Initially they were taught by a governess but then attended the New Gisborne State School.
When the residence on the farm at Balliang was completed I about 1909 the family moved there and 'Mark', as he was known to the family, commenced at a recently opened State School which had been built about a mile from the Lee’s property. He attended the school until 1914 when he acquired, by examination, a resident scholarship to Geelong College.
Mark entered Geelong College in 1915 initially as a day student but then as a boarder from 6 June 1917. He very soon acquired the nick-name ‘Dick’ which was to cling to him all his life. W. H. ‘Dick’ Lee was a famous Collingwood footballer of the day. His time at Geelong College was marked with many prizes for his scholastic achievements culminating in 1919 with becoming Dux of the School particularly due to high performances in Science, Mathematics and English. In this he repeated the success of his brother Alan who was Dux 4 years earlier in 1915.As well as his good scholastic record 'Mark' was a good all-round sportsman representing Geelong College in the 1st football Teams of 1918 and 1919; the 1st Cricket Teams of 1918 and 1919; and the Athletics Team in 1915, 1918 and 1919.
In the government exams in 1919 he was awarded an exhibition for entry to Melbourne University and through his good school record he also received a resident scholarship to Ormond College, and in 1920 he commenced the four year Civil Engineering course. He played cricket with distinction for both Ormond College and the University.
Graduating as Bachelor of Civil Engineering (B.C.E.) in 1923, he was appointed to a position in the design office of the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission with which authority he had spend two summer vacations as an undergraduate on the construction of the Hume Reservoir near Albury.
After two years in that position he secured the job of assistant to the resident engineer on the construction of the O’Shannassy Dam for the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works. On completion of this work in November 1927 he was transferred to the construction of Silvan Dam another addition to Melbourne’s water storages.
In November 1927 'Mark' married Ethel Margaret Cromie, a former University Colleague and for some years they lived in the construction camp at Silvan and while they were there two daughters were born.
In 1934 he succeeded to the position of resident engineer at Silvan and under his control the works in and around the Dam were completed. He was then transferred to head office as Chief Construction Engineer and later as Assistant Engineer for Water Supply. In 1942 following the untimely death of the Chief Engineer of Water Supply, 'Mark' was appointed to that position which he held for many years until appointed Deputy Engineer-in-Chief, a position he occupied until his retirement.
At the time of his appointment as Chief Engineer of Water Supply in 1942 all new works were suspended because of the war and all activities diverted to defense requirements. Once the war was over work commenced on the postponed design and construction of the Upper Yarra Dam near Warburton which was urgently needed to cater for Melbourne’s growing population.In 1948 'Mark', accompanied by Ethel, was sent to Europe to study water supply practices and to attend conferences on large dams and on soil mechanics. They had a magnificent journey by a mode of transport, sadly, long since superseded by quicker and more efficient, but far less comfortable, means. They travelled by flying boat, spending daytime in the air and stopping overnight at hotels in various strategic locations along the way, the total journey to England taking a week or ten days.
'Mark' retired on his 65th birthday, 11 July 1966, having spent 41 years with the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works.
Outside of work he took part in many other activities. He was a member of the Royal Society and of the Committee of the Box Hill Technical School for many years including 5 years as President. He was an active member of the Anglican Church, and on the Vestry of the local parish church and Vicar’s Warden for several years.
On the sporting side he had to give up cricket when located in the country but he was a member of the Melbourne Cricket Club for 68 years. In lieu of cricket he took up golf at which he became very proficient and soon got down to a handicap of 4. Indeed his handicap remained in single figures for nearly 50 years. At Huntingdale Golf Club he was a committee member for many years and Captain for 4 years leading to the rare honour of being elected a Life Member in 1968.
Following his retirement from work, 'Mark' set off on a world tour in 1968, sadly alone as Ethel had died in 1962. He played golf on some of the famous old golf courses of Great Britain followed by a tour of Europe with his elder daughter and her husband and, though retired, he attended a conference on Large Dams in Turkey and toured water supply and hydro-electric works as well as many ancient biblical sites.
Following his return to Australia, in 1969 he married Sadie Atkinson a retired New Zealand home science teacher who he had met in his travels. They spent 23 happy years in Christchurch before Sadie died in 1992. 'Mark' spent his declining years in Victoria where he had lived most of his life and died in Melbourne on 19 September 1995 at the age of 94.