Sir Sandford Fleming 1827-1915

1845

Text from the plaque

Inventor of Standard Time and pioneer in world communications, Fleming was born in Kirkcaldy and trained in engineering and surveying before emigrating to Canada and settling at Peterborough, Ontario, in 1845. He soon moved to Toronto but retained a lifelong interest in his birthplace which he visited frequently. In 1882 he was made a Burgess and Freeman of the Town. He was the builder of the Intercolonial Railway and as chief engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway conducted surveys of a transcontinental route. His proposal, presented to the Canadian Institute in 1879, outlining a worldwide uniform system for reckoning time, and his advocacy of a cable route linking Canada with Australia, earned Fleming universal recognition. He was knighted in 1897.

Transcribed from the marker, not summarised.