Robert Peirce (engineer)

Peirce was trained as a civil engineer in Manchester, England before moving to the Penang, Straits Settlements in 1891.

C.E., of Manchester but spent several years in Birmingham, where he was engaged as resident engineer for the corporation working on the construction of cable trams.

[8] While construction began in 1902 – a year in which Singapore experienced a serious drought – the scheme was conceived by a previous Municipal Engineer James MacRitchie[9] in the early 1890s.

Peirce authored a 1905 report on night soil collection by pail, and disposal at sea, which was approved by the Municipal Commission only to be overturned in favour of a water borne sewage system.

Parts of the media jumped to his defence stating the role of Municipal Engineer in Singapore was "by far the most important of its kind in the Straits Settlements" and the case was "an illustration of the eternal truth that one had to pay the market price [to get the services and counsel of good men]" [14] A proposal by Municipal Commissioners to hike Peirce's pay was criticised by other active local media who decried paying "enormous salaries to high officials, in many cases twice what they would get in private life".

Although it disagreed with the decision on behalf of ratepayers and on the principle that 'no man is indispensable', The Eastern Daily Mail proved a useful and independent check on the Municipal Commission.

Peirce also served on the building committee which was formed to oversee the erection of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall, completed in 1905.

In this work, Peirce was ably supported by his deputy Stephen Williams who came to be known as the 'father of the Gunong Pulai water scheme'.

He suggested the then Municipal engineering staff (Peirce and Williams) may have colluded with the contractor to use sub-standard clay which resulted in leakage in the dam.

[1] Three reservoirs in Singapore are named after influential Municipal Engineers: James MacRitchie, Robert Peirce and David J. Murnane.