Neil McNeil (businessman)

Neil McNeil, c. 1927

Neil McNeil (30 December 1855 – 8 May 1927)[1] was a prominent Australian businessman who was significant in the development of railways across Australia along with Western Australia's timber industry.[2][3]

McNeil was born in the Scottish town of Dingwall as the second son of Neil MacNeil (1827–1915), a railway contractor, and Elizabeth (née Urquhart). He emigrated to Victoria with his family at about the age of five and settled in Ballarat, attending Ballarat College. He then joined his father's business, soon becoming superintendent, before becoming a contractor in his own right and constructing railways in South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania, along with the metropolitan water supply scheme in Hobart.[1] McNeil came to Western Australia in 1882. In 1894 he was the builder of The Cliffe in Peppermint Grove.[4] He built some of Western Australia's earlier railways.[5] The Jarrahdale–Bunbury railway was proposed in 1888,[6] and in 1893 Neil McNeil & Co constructed the Jarrahdale Junction to Pinjarra, then Pinjarra to Picton Junction lines.[7] The last railway constructed was the Geraldton–Mullewa railway in 1894, also known as the Narngulu to Mullewa railway.[8] McNeil founded Jarrahdale Jarrah Forests and Railways Ltd in 1897.[3][9] He was managing director of the Jarrahdale company until the 1902 amalgamation with Millars.[10] In 1905 he was put forward as a potential Lord Mayor of Perth; however, he did not achieve the position.[11]

Other business interests included mines,[12] orchards in Mount Barker and the Blackwood River area which exported fruit,[13] and horse breeding for carriages. McNeil was also the owner of real estate holdings, some of which were disposed of in 1915.[14] He also founded the Perth Polo Club.[15]

He was married to Jessie (née Laurie) from 1890 until his death on 8 May 1927. He is buried in the Presbyterian section of Karrakatta Cemetery.[1] The Mcneil house at Perth's Presbyterian Ladies' College is named after him.

  1. ^ a b c Birman, Wendy (1974). "McNeil, Neil (1855–1927)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 5. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  2. ^ Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale. "Mill Manager's Residence". inHerit. Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  3. ^ a b Harvey, Ben; Hatch, Daniel (29 November 2013). 100 most influential: The business leaders who shaped WA – 1829-2013 (PDF). The West Australian. p. 13. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2020.
  4. ^ E. H. Dean Smith (1893), Proposed residence Peppermint Grove for Neil McNeil Esq, retrieved 31 January 2020
  5. ^ - section about McNeil as part 18, p.229 - 'Neil McNeil' - see Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Jeff; Rail Heritage WA; Gunzburg, Adrian; Austin, Jeff (2008), Rails through the bush : timber and firewood tramways and railway contractors of Western Australia (2nd ed.), Rail Heritage WA, ISBN 978-0-9803922-2-7
  6. ^ McNeil, Neil & Co (1888), Proposal by Messrs Neil McNeil & Co to construct a railway between Bayswater and the Vasse, Govt. Pr, retrieved 31 January 2020
  7. ^ in Gunzburg and Austin (2008) Construction of the W.A. Government Railways network, 1879-1931 page 208
  8. ^ Gunzburg and Austin (2008) p.230 - identifies Geraldton Guardian references to the progress of the railway from contract awarded 28 March 1893 to 21 November 1894
  9. ^ "JARRAHDALE JARRAH FORESTS AND RAILWAYS". The Advertiser. South Australia. 29 October 1897. p. 5. Retrieved 31 January 2020 – via Trove.
  10. ^ Millar's Timber & Trading Co; Millars' Karri & Jarrah Company (1902) (1839), Records, retrieved 31 January 2020{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ "THE PERTH MAYORALTY". The West Australian. Western Australia. 11 November 1903. p. 9. Retrieved 31 January 2020 – via Trove.
  12. ^ Such as a Guano mine - see "THE ABROLHOS GUANO INDUSTRY". The West Australian. Western Australia. 19 January 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 31 January 2020 – via Trove.
  13. ^ "VISIT TO MOUNT BARKER". Western Mail. Western Australia. 3 October 1913. p. 18. Retrieved 31 January 2020 – via Trove.
  14. ^ Hope & Klem (Firm); Learmonth Duffy & Co (1915), Cottesloe's finest residential land : these 20 magnificent blocks - owned by Neil McNeil Esq and surrounding his beautiful residence at Peppermint Grove to be sold in the rooms of the auctioneers, Emanuel Buildings, St George's Terrace on Thursday, Novr. 4th, 1915, at 3 p.m, Learmonth Duffy & Co, retrieved 31 January 2020
  15. ^ Laffaye, Horace A. (2009). The Evolution of Polo. McFarland. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-7864-5415-0.