Person

Rigby, Edward Joseph (1859 - 1948)

Born
5 January 1859
Victoria, Australia
Died
24 October 1948
Mentone, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Businessman, Engineer and Metallurgist

Summary

Edward J. Rigby was an engineer who played a leading role in the development of electric arc welding in Australia and the United States of America. He was a partner in Hughes, Pye & Rigby (1878) which manufactured mining plant, steam engines, elevators, wool and other hydraulic presses. It was incorporated as The Austral Otis Engineering and Elevator Company (1887) which then became The Austral Otis Engineering Co Ltd (1893-1948). He was Chairman of directors of Robert Bryce and Co Pty Ltd (c1913-). He was a foundation member of the Victorian Institute of Engineers (1883), the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1893), and the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (1903).

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Details

Edward and Frances had eight children: Charles Edward (1881-1961); Edward John (1885-1963); Joshua Allan (1887-1890); William Walter (1889-1890); Marion Margaret (1891-1948); Frances Mary (1893-1984); Alice Isobel (1895-1978); and Harold (Harry) Alexander (1897-1972). Harry married Beryl Jean Bryce (1901-?) and added a family connection to the business relationship with the Robert Bryce family. The Rigby family became the collectors and keepers of records from both families.

Chronology

1878 - 1887
Business event - Partnership of Hughes, Pye & Rigby manufacturing mining plant, steam engines, elevators, wool and other hydraulic presses.
December 1880
Life event - Married Frances Anne Louise Waite (1860-1930), St John's Church, Latrobe Street Melbourne
1887
Business event - Incorporation of Austral Otis Engineering and Elevator Company Ltd with EJ Rigby as a director.
1893 - 1948
Business event - Name change to Australl Otis Engineering Co Ltd with EJ Rigby as a director.
c. 1900 - 1914
Business event - Austral Otis provides five pumping engines for the Spotswood Pumping Station, Victoria
1905
Life event - Edward J Rigby and family were involved in proving exercises for the Clarkson steam omnibus for the Victorian Railways. [See 'They call it Shank's Pony']
4 April 1917 - 15 June 1917
Career event - Arrived in the Russian Far East to conduct metallurgical surveys on behalf of the Engineering Company of Russia and Siberia, with colleagues Greenway, Findlay and Reeves, and Mr Dicken, an Englishman who spoke Russian.
1919
Life event - Robert Bryce and Edward J Rigby support their sons in preparing to fly from London to Australia. The flight did not take place due to technical issues with the engine.

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Archival resources

State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection

  • A diary of a traveller in Russia during the Revolution from 4th April to 15th June 1917, 1917 Apr. 4-June 15. [manuscript], 4 April 1917 - 29 July 1917, MS 11714; Rigby, Edward Joseph (1859 - 1948) - Records; State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection. Details

Published resources

Journal Articles

Newspaper Articles

Resource Sections

See also

Gavan McCarthy; Bruce Rigby

Created: 19 June 2026

EOAS ID: biogs/P008075b.htm

This Edition: 2026 May - New Office
Chunnup - Gariwerd calendar - Winter: late May to end of July - season of cockatoos
Reference: https://www.bom.gov.au/resources/indigenous-weather-knowledge/indigenous-seasonal-calendars/gariwerd-calendar#bom-anchor-list__item-chunnup-season-of-cockatoos

Publisher: Swinburne University of Technology.

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