Brain, Vivian James Foxton (1896 - 1957)

Summary

Vivian Brain BE MIEAust, was the first Chairman of the Electricity Authority of New South Wales from when it was formed in 1946 until his death in 1957. From 1950, he was also appointed Vice-Chairman of the Electricity Commission of New South Wales. Earlier he was the Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department, New South Wales from 1929 to 1945.

Brain also served the community in many other capacities. He was a member of the Newnes State Oil Investigation Committee. During the Second World War he was Regional Controller of Electricity in N.S.W. He was a member of the Snowy River Investigation Committee. For many years he was a Councillor of the Standards Association of Australia, Chairman of the Australian National Committee of the World Power Conference, and he was a former President of the Electricity Supply Association of Australia.

He was a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Australian Atomic Energy Commission,and represented Australia's electrical power supply industry at an international atomic energy conference in Geneva in 1955.

Brain was Chairman of the Sydney Division of the Institution of Engineers Australia in 1935, was a member of National Council from 1936 - 1957, and President in 1951.

Details

Chronology

c. 1911 - c. 1914

Education - Sydney Grammar School

1914 - 1919

Military service - First World War. Mobilised 1916 as Second Lieutenant, later Lieutenant, Eighth Field Company Engineers, Australian Imperial Force in France

1916 - c. 1922

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE (Mech & Elec) Hons), University of Sydney [Completion delayed by military service]

1919

Career event - Foundation Junior Member (JrIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1919

Career event - Student Member, Electrical Association of Australia, New South Wales Section

c. 1923 - c. 1929

Career position - Electrical engineer, Alabama Power Company, USA

c. 1923 - c. 1929

Career position - Electrical engineer, General Electric Company, USA

c. 1923 - c. 1929

Career position - Electrical engineer, New York Edison Company USA

1929

Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1929 - 1945

Career position - Chief Electrical Engineer, Public Works Department, New South Wales

1935

Career position - Chairman, Sydney Division, Institution of Engineers Australia

1935

Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia

1936 - 1957

Career position - Member of Council, Institution of Engineers Australia

1946 - 1957

Career position - Chairman, Electricity Authority of New South Wales

1950 - 1957

Career position - Vice-Chairman of the Electricity Commission of New South Wales

1951

Career position - President, Institution of Engineers Australia

Related entries

Published resources

Journal Articles

• 'Obituary: Vivian James Foxton Brain', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 29 (1957), 168. Details
• Brain, V. J. F., 'Recent advances in transmission and distribution in U.S.A.', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1 (1929), 255, 339, 370. Details
• Brain, V. J. F., 'A plea for the wider education of the engineer', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (1936), 199. Details
• Brain, V. J. F., 'Mechanical engineering in the production of power', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 12 (1940), 330. Details
• Brain, V. J. F., 'Presidential address', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 24 (1952), 123. Details