Person

Selby, George William (1858 - 1950)

Born
1 June 1858
Victoria, Australia
Died
11 July 1950
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Electrical engineer and Accountant

Summary

George Selby was a pioneering electrical engineer in Victoria. Having completed his education in the United Kingdom, he returned to Victoria and established his own business. As manager of the Australian Electric Company from 1884 he took a leading role in efforts to popularise the use of electricity in Melbourne. He presented a paper to the Royal Society of Victoria in 1883 advocating the use electricity to power railways. Radio was a particular interest. Although lack of funds influenced his attempts to construct a radio, in 1896 he sent the first radio signal between the Melbourne suburbs of Brighton and Caulfield. He also produced the second telephone, and was the first to manufacture X-ray equipment, in Melbourne, including making the components he lacked. In parallel with his electrical engineering business Selby conducted an equally successful accounting business. for 59 years he was auditor for the Broken Hill Proprietary Company from 1886 to 1845. He was a Fellow of the United Kingdom and Australasian Institutes of Chartered Accountants.

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Details

Chronology

1884
Career event - Became Manager of the Australian Electric Company
1886 - 1945
Career position - Auditor, Broken Hill Proprietary Company
1889 - 1950
Career position - Member, Royal Society of Victoria

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • Anon, 'George William Selby', Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, ns, 62 (2) (1950), 205. Details
  • Jones, D., 'George W. Selby: an early pioneer, inventor, experimenter', The radiographer, 22 (1975), 33-5. Details
  • Selby, Alexander, 'George William Selby: wireless pioneer', Amateur radio (1985), 28. Details
  • Selby, George W., 'Wireless telegraphy (Paper & Discussion)', Proceedings of the Victorian Institute of Engineers vol. IX (1909), 162-171, 175-177. http://hdl.handle.net/11343/24426. Details

Resources

Rosanne Walker and Helen Cohn

Created: 30 June 1997, Last modified: 12 October 2023

EOAS ID: biogs/P002586b.htm

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