Person

Brain, Vivian James Foxton (1896 - 1957)

Born
26 August 1896
Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Died
11 June 1957
New South Wales, Australia
Occupation
Electrical engineer

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
11 May 1937
Award - King George VI Coronation Medal
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

Parent

Published resources

Journal Articles

  • 'The president of The Institution for 1951 [Mr. V. J. F. Brain BE MIEAust]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 23 (4-5) (1951), 73. Details
  • 'Obituary: Vivian James Foxton Brain', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 29 (6) (1957), 168. Details
  • Brain, V. J. F., 'Chairman's Address [Sydney Division] - A plea for the wider education of the engineer', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (5) (1936), 199-201. Details
  • Brain, V. J. F., 'A plea for the wider education of the engineer', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (5) (1936), 199. Details
  • Brain, V. J. F., 'Mechanical engineering in the production of power', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 12 (12) (1940), 330-331. Details
  • Brain, V. J. F., 'Presidential address [1952] - Some observations on electricity supply on the Australian mainland', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 24 (6) (1952), 123-128. Details
  • Brain, Vivian James Foxton, 'Recent advances in transmission and distribution in U.S.A.', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1 (7) (1929), 255-276. Details
  • Brain, Vivian James Foxton; MacDonnell, A., 'Recent advances in transmission and distribution in U.S.A. (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1 (10) (1929), 370-371. Details
  • Brain, Vivian James Foxton; Myers, W. H.; Allcock, H.; Haugaard, F. B.; Longfield, C. M.; Harper, H. R., 'Recent advances in transmission and distribution in U.S.A. (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1 (9) (1929), 339-342. Details
  • Myers, Walter Harold; Brain, V. J. F., 'Supply of electricity in bulk (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1 (10) (1929), 369-370. Details

See also

  • Spooner, E. S. (Hon.), 'History and Development of Port Kembla', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 10 (8) (1938), 279-293. Details

Ken McInnes

EOAS ID: biogs/P007066b.htm

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