Bain was born the second son of South Africa's first geologist, Andrew Geddes BAIN. Bain served as his father's assistant in the construction of Michell's Pass. After passing as first of five entrants in the Government civil engineering examinations, set out by the Colonial Engineer and the Superintendent General of Education of the Colony, there then being no formal registering organisation for the profession. In 1854 he was appointed road inspector. He built 24 major mountain roads and passes in the second half of the 1800s. Thomas Bain married Johanna Hermina de Smidt in 1854 and produced a family of 13 children. Johanna was the ninth child of Willem de Smidt, the Secretary of the Central Road Board. He died at Woodside, Rondebosch in September 1893. His gravestone was donated by his descendants to the South African Museum in 1984
Wording on the gravestone of Thomas Charles John Bain:
IN
AFFECTIONATE
REMEMBRANCE
OF
THOMAS BAIN, C.E.
DIED AT WOODSIDE
RONDEBOSCH,
SEPTR 1893,
AGED 64 YEARS.
____
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH
HE RESTS FROM HIS LABOURS.
Wording on commemorative plaque for Thomas Charles John Bain:
GRAVESTONE OF THOMAS CHARLES JOHN BAIN
(1830-1893)
ENGINEER OF 23 MAJOR MOUNTAIN ROADS
IN THE FORMER CAPE COLONY
DONATED BY HIS DESCENDANTS IN 1984
_______________
GRAFSTEEN VAN THOMAS CHARLES JOHN BAIN
(1830-1893)
INGENIEUR VAN 23 BELANGRIKE BERGPASSE
IN DIE EERTYDSE KAAPKOLONIE
GESKENK DEUR SY AFSTAMMELINGE IN 1984
See Wikipedia.
There is a memorial to Thomas Bain on the side of the road on Prince Alfred's Pass. List of projects With photographs
 With notes
Bloukrans Pass: 1869-1885. Nature's Valley, Western Cape - Engineer
| Cogman's Kloof Pass (also Kogmans, Kockemans): 1873-1877. Montagu, Western Cape - Engineer
| Groot River Pass: 1869-1883. Nature's Valley, Western Cape - Engineer
| Hex River Pass: pre-1774. De Doorns, Western Cape - Engineer
| Meiringspoort (also Meiring's Poort): 1856-1858. De Rust, Western Cape - Engineer
| Passes Road: 1867-1882 (1887). Knysna, Western Cape - Engineer
| Phantom Pass: 1862. Knysna, Western Cape - Engineer
| Piekenierskloof Pass (Originally Piquinierskloof, Grey's Pass): 1857-1859. Citrusdal, Western Cape - Engineer
| Prince Alfred's Pass: 1863-1868. Avontuur, Western Cape - Engineer
| Road Bridge over the Gats River - Letty's Bridge: 1877. Barrydale, Western Cape - Engineer
| Robinson Pass: 1867-1869. Mossel Bay, Western Cape - Engineer
| Roodezand Pass (also Roodesand, Tulbagh Kloof, Nuwekloof): 1859-1860. Tulbagh, Western Cape - Engineer
| Swartberg Pass: 1878-1888. Prince Albert, Western Cape - Engineer
| Tradouw Pass: 1868-1873. Barrydale, Western Cape - Engineer
| Victoria Road: 1884-1888. Camps Bay, Western Cape - Engineer
|
Books citing BAIN Murray, Tony. 2015. Megastructures and masterminds : great feats of civil engineering in southern Africa. Cape Town: Tafelberg. pp 45, 69-74, 106, 107-109, 111, 148, 211, 307, 308
| Storrar, Patricia. 2001. Plettenberg Bay and the Paradise Coast. Craighall: Trevor McGlashan, TJM Publishers. pp 25, 29, 31,m 33, 39, 45, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 69, 85, 89, 95, 159, 205, 206
| Storrar, Patricia. 1984. A colossus of roads. Cape Town: Murray & Roberts / Concor. pp Extensive - see book index
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