Meik was educated at King’s College School, London, and at the University of Edinburgh, after which he joined his father's practice for three years' pupillage from 1868 to 1871.
[1] He then worked for John Aird & Co., employed on projects including the East London Waterworks at Sunbury and the Imperial Gasworks at Bromley.
In 1873, Meik went to work for his father and worked on Meik's harbours at Burntisland (where he was resident engineer on the West Dock) and at Bo'ness on the River Forth in Scotland before being asked by Sir Benjamin Baker to be resident engineer (1882–1885) on the foundations and piers of the Forth Bridge (designed by Baker and Sir John Fowler).
After this project, he moved to London and set up an office for his father's engineering practice, now known as Thomas Meik and Sons.
[4][5] Patrick Meik died in London in 1910, mourned as "an able and accomplished engineer: whose kindness of heart and social qualities endeared him to a large circle of friends".