Person

Rodda, Stanley Northey (Dobbie) (1877 - 1939)

Born
9 November 1877
Grass Valley, East Oakland, Alemeda County, California, United States of America
Died
16 January 1939
"Oomoo" Kalorama, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Educational administrator and Mining engineer

Summary

Stanley Rodda MAusIMM, was the Principal of the Working Men's College, Melbourne from 1913 to 1927, and a Councillor from 1927 to 1936, and President in 1931. He expanded the scope of the technical teaching programs of the College before, during and after the First World War.

He took a special interest in establishing welding classes and an automotive school, and was active in the formation of the Victorian Institute of Welding Engineers, the Australian Welding Institute, and the Australian Institute of Automotive Engineers. He also lobbied for Melbourne to be a centre for training aeronautical engineers, as it had an established industry and the Aircraft Laboratory was in Melbourne.

He was a mining engineer, from a mining family, who studied at the University of California, then gained wide experience in mine management in California, South Africa, West Africa, Western Australia, England and Queensland.

In 1931, he established the firm "S. N. Rodda Pty Ltd - Mineral Earth Millers", to pulverise diatomaceous earth and commercially make Tripolite and to make its absorptive properties available for telephone insulators, and for other industry, agriculture and defence uses.

The original Working Men's College Building 10, now demolished, was named the "SN Rodda School of Motor Mechanics", and "Rodda Lane" is also named after him.

Details

Chronology

1898 - 1901
Career position - Assistant general manager, Lancaster mine, Krugersdorp, South Africa
1901
Career position - General manager, Tarauah and Abosso mines, West Africa
1901 - c. 1904
Career position - Assistant-metallurgist and manager, Associated Northern group of mines, Kalgoorlie [As well as overseeing operations in Fremantle, Port Pirie and Dapto]
c. 1904
Career position - Mining engineer, potential hydraulic gold mine, California [Recommended against it, due to the environmental issues of the sluicing operation.]
c. 1904 - c. 1906
Career position - Consulting mining engineer, London [ reporting on numerous industries-mining, manufacturing plants, cement works, textiles, throughout England. Including the Mona Parys, Anglesey.]
1907
Career position - Mine manager, Chillagoe Co's. Redcap Mine, Mungana, Queensland
1907 - 1911
Career position - General manager, Mungana (Chillagoe) Mining Co Ltd, Queensland
1909
Life event - Naturalisation
1910
Career event - Member (MAusIME), Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers
1910
Life event - Married Eileen Marie Lannah Meagher at St. Kilda, Victoria
1913 - 1927
Career position - Principal, Working Men's College, Melbourne [Succeeded by Mr. F. Ellis, MW BE in 1927]
1919
Career position - Vocational training adviser, Repatriation Department
1925
Career position - Foundation President, Victorian Institute of Welding Engineers
1927
Career position - Foundation President, Australian Institute of Automotive Engineers
1927 - 1936
Career position - Councillor, Working Men's College, Melbourne
1931
Career position - President, Council, Working Men's College, Melbourne
1931
Career event - Established S. N. Rodda Pty Ltd - Mineral Earth Millers

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Ken McInnes

EOAS ID: biogs/P007107b.htm

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