THE man credited with helping the rise of Japanese industry has been etched in history by an Armidale woman.
University of New England academic Meg Viviers has spent years researching the life and family of Thomas Waters, an Irishman who helped design several major buildings in Japan in the 19th century.
An Irish Engineer, published by Brisbane company CopyRight Publishing, details the story of a brave woman’s experiences in colonial New Zealand and Australia.
Lucy Gray (née Waters) wrote a detailed journal covering her time at Hughenden in North Queensland and this journal, along with Lucy’s drawings and paintings, are an important part of the book.
An Irish Engineer will be launched at Armidale Art Gallery on 15 December, with UNE historian David Kent to give a keynote speech.
