| John Richard Donovan Glascott | |
| Birth Date: | 10 June 1877 |
| Birth Place: | Nuddea, Bengal, British India |
| Education: | Bedford Modern School |
| Known For: | Chief Engineer of the Burma Railways |
John Richard Donovan Glascott (10 June 1877 - 6 April 1938) was Chief Engineer of the Burma Railways, later first Agent to the Burma Railways, Port Commissioner for Burma and a Member of the Legislative Council of Burma.[1] [2] [3] [4] He was also an accomplished sportsman who, in his youth, played rugby for the East Midlands, Bedford and the Barbarians and would in later life play cricket for Burma.[5] He also served as Commander of the Burma Railways Auxiliary Force.[5]
Glascott was born on 10 June 1877 in Nuddea, Bengal, India.[6] He was the son of George Annesley Glascott and Charlotte Ellen Louisa (née Meares),[1] and educated in England at Bedford Modern School, from 1886 to 1895.[5] Glascott was always interested in railways and contributed to the Model Engineer & Amateur Electrician in 1902 at the age of fifteen.[7] After leaving school, he became Captain of the Bedford Wanderers and later became Captain of the Town Club.[5] Glascott played on several occasions for the East Midlands and the Barbarians.[5]
After school, Glascott joined the Queen’s Engineering Works in Bedford and afterwards gained experience with The Tube and the Great Eastern Railway.[1] [5] In 1902 he went to India as an Assistant Engineer to the Bengal Nagpur Railway.[1] [5] In 1904 he was appointed an Assistant Engineer in the Burma Railways,[1] [5] in 1907 became Signals Engineer and in 1911 became Deputy Chief Engineer of the entire rail network.[1] [5] In 1919 he was made Chief Engineer of the Burma Railways.[1] [5]
In 1920, Glascott became Agent of the Burma Railways.[1] In 1926 he was made CIE.[8] In 1929, when the Indian Government took control of the Burma Railways, Glascott became first Agent of the Burma State Railways.[1] [5] [3]
Glascott was also Commander of the Burma Railways Auxiliary Force and played cricket for Burma against Madras and Ceylon.[5] He was reputed to be one of the best billiard players in the country.[5] He retired in 1932.[5]
In 1907, Glascott married Miss O’Reilley Blackwood who survived him.[5]