Biographical entry Alcock, Alfred Upton (1865 - 1962)

Summary

Alfred Alcock was a self taught electrical engineer who, in 1889, formed the A. U. Alcock Electric Light and Motive Power Company in Melbourne. This company later formed the basis of the retail distribution system of the State Electricity Commission. Alcock, in conjunction with Herbert del Cott and Foundation Co. (London), converted Melbourne's cable trams to electricity powered. Alcock was also a keen inventor who produced numerous contraptions, including one which became the prototype for the development of the hovercraft.

Details

Alfred Alcock's first job was in his father's billiard table factory in Melbourne. By 1901 Alcock & Co. had factories in Perth and Brisbane. But Alfred Alcock's fascination with electricity and engineering soon developed and lead him to a life of experiments and inventions. His first patent was lodged at age 18 and he continued to produce ingenious, technically sound and well crafted prototypes until his death in 1962. The London based Institute of Electrical Engineers was so impressed with his work that they granted him membership. Some of Alfred Alcock's inventions include:
. A dynamo for electricity generation (mid -1880s)
. A device for electrically co-ordinating the range-setter and fire-control for artillery (ca 1897)
. An electrically operated ship's telegraph (ca 1899)
. A model which was the basis of the modern hovercraft (ca 1910)
. An electrical meat defrosting process (ca 1922)
. A cabinet to disinfect library books (mid-1930s)
Although most of his inventions showed brilliant problem solving skills and impressive engineering adaptations, few reached commercial production.

In 1988 Alcock and his father established a generating station in Melbourne to supply electricity. A year later he formed A. U. Alcock Electric Light and Motive Power Company and developed a larger power station in Richmond. Within 5 years the company was supplying electricity for over 15000 lights throughout the inner suburbs. In 1899 the Bush Electrical Engineering Co. of England bought out the company. Alfred Alcock almost immediately set about establishing another company, Electric Light and Traction Company, to supply electricity to Melbourne and surrounds. In 1897 he moved to England, where he spent 4 years trying to perfect his artillery coordinating device. The War Office supplied him with facilities to carry out the research but would not commit to purchasing the finished product. He returned to Australia and in 1910 moved to Perth to manage the family business. Seven years later he returned to Melbourne and went into partnership with Herbert del Cott. He retired to England in 1927 but kept on inventing.

Events

c. 1882 - c. 1888

Career position - Billiard table manufacturing with Alcock & Co. in Melbourne

1883

Career position - Applied for his first patent (for "improvements in electrical apparatus for registering numbers such as for billiard marking")

1888

Career position - Co-developer of the Electricity generating-station in Corr's Lane, Melbourne

1889

Career position - Member of the Institution of Electrical Engineering, London

1889

Career position - A.U. Alcock Electric Light and Motive Power Company founded in Burnley St, Richmond, Victoria

1896

Award - Company awarded an Order in Council (under the Electric Light and Power Act) to continue energy supply, but not to extend into new areas

1897 - c. 1900

Career position - War Office backed development of his invention of a device which electrically co-ordinated the range-setter and fire-control for artillery in Tilbury and Shoeburyness, UK

August 1897

Life event - Married Jessie McFarlane in Melbourne

1899

Life event - Takeover of A. U. Alcock Electric by Brush Electrical Engineering Company, UK

1899 - 1910

Career position - Founding Director of the Electric Light and Traction Company

1910 - 1917

Career position - Manager of Alcock & Co in Perth

1917 - 1927

Career position - Returned to Melbourne and formed partnership with Herbert del Cott

1927

Life event - Retired to England

Published resources

Book Sections

• Lincolne, G. B., 'Alcock, Alfred Upton (1865-1962)', in Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle (eds), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 7, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1979, pp. 30-31. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070033b.htm. Details

Online Resources

• National Library of Australia, 'Alcock, Alfred Upton', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1469738. Details