De Burgh family

Who were the de Burghs?

Ernest Macartney de Burgh (1863–1929) was born in Dublin and came to Australia in 1885, joining the NSW Department of Public Works. He became an important civil engineer, specialising in bridges, water supply and major public works. He later served as Chief Engineer for harbours and water supply and was involved with major water-supply projects including the Cataract, Cordeaux, Avon and Nepean dams.

He married Constance Mary Yeo in 1888. Their children included Thomas Hubert Macartney de Burgh, Ulick F. de Burgh, Hugo Macartney de Burgh and Una Macartney de Burgh. Interestingly, the birth records cited for Ulick in 1891 and Una in 1896 give Ryde as the registration district, strengthening the family's local connection.

The family lived at a property named “Uplands” in Station Road, Meadowbank. 

De Burghs Bridge

The most obvious reminder of the family name in the Ryde district is De Burghs Bridge over the Lane Cove River.

This isn't simply a bridge that happened to have the same surname. The Ryde History Hub records that the original De Burghs Bridge was designed in 1899 by Ernest de Burgh and was named after him. It opened on 23 February 1901. 

It was an impressive timber truss structure, about 91 metres long, with its largest truss spanning about 50 metres, described by the Ryde History Hub as the longest timber truss span ever built in Australia. 

The old bridge remained after the present high-level concrete bridge opened in 1967, but was eventually destroyed by bushfire in January 1994. Remnants of its abutment and supporting piers survive