Harry Higginson

Harry Pasley Higginson (1838–1900) was a British and New Zealand civil engineer who was notable for constructing the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) line from Wellington to the Manawatu in the 1880s. The WMR was a private company, as the government had decided not to build the line.

Born in Yorkshire, England in 1838 and educated at the Collegiate School, Leicester, he was apprenticed to Sir William Fairbairn for five years, then constructed railways, canals and water works in Russia 1860–61, Mauritius 1862–65, England and India. In India in 1868 he became an associate member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, and a member in 1871.

In 1872 he was appointed as superintending engineer for railways and public works in the South Island, but in 1878 he left government service and set up in private practice in Dunedin. His work on the Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge earned him the Telford Premium of the (British) Institute of Civil Engineers.

In 1882 he was given a contract as chief engineer to construct the WMR within five years from 25 September 1862 (the government had completed some works to Johnsonville). He appointed as assistants Arthur Fulton and James Fulton, brothers from Dunedin. The line was completed on 27 October 1886, with the first through train on 3 November. This was nine months early, and Higginson got his promised bonus, in 1890!

Higginson then became engineer-manager of the Wellington Gas Works. He died in Wellington on 26 February 1900 aged 63, and was buried in the Karori Cemetery.

• "Harry Higginson". Engineering Heritage (IPENZ) with portrait.
• "Photo of grave". Wellington City Council.