Stobie, James Cyril (1895 - 1953)

Summary

Cyril Stobie, ME FSASM AMIEAust AMIEE, joined the staff of the Adelaide Electric Supply Company Limited in 1916, rose to Chief Design Engineer by 1938, and was Assistant to the Manager for Engineering Research in the Electricity Trust of South Australia from 1950. In 1924 he designed and patented composite metal and concrete poles for electric power lines, overcoming the lack of suitable trees in South Australia and poles that were able to withstand termites.

The Adelaide Electric Supply Company Limited adopted the 'Stobie' pole, paying him £500 for the patent rights. He later patented a heat pump system, and developed a truck-mounted heavy pole-erector.

Stobie was active within the engineering profession, contributed many notable papers, two being awarded the Electrical Association Premium in 1938 and 1941, and he was chairman of the Adelaide Division, Institution of Engineers Australia in 1940.

The 'Stobie' pole design, with minor changes, such as using galvanised steel, continues to be used throughout South Australia today, making it a ubiquitous part of the character and heritage of the State.

Stobie Place, Monash, Australian Capital Territory is named in his honour.

Details

Chronology

1915

Education - Diploma Mechanical and Electrical engineering, (ASASM), South Australian School of Mines

1916 -

Career position - Joined the staff, Adelaide Electric Supply Company Limited

1919

Education - Fellowship Diploma Mechanical and Electrical engineering, (FSASM), South Australian School of Mines

1919

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

1921

Education - Bachelor of Engineering (BE), University of Adelaide

1923 - 1938

Career position - Chief draftsman, Adelaide Electric Supply Company Limited

1924

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

1924

Patent - An improved pole for carrying electric cables, telegraph and telephone wires and other purposes [18684/1924]

1926

Patent - Improved pole for carrying electric cables, telegraph and telephone wires and for like purposes [1918/1926]

1931

Patent - Process of and means for heating or cooling batches of water or other fluid with a heat pump or a cold pump system [2772/1931]

1932

Education - Master of Engineering (ME), University of Adelaide [Thesis: 'Batch heating with a varying performance heat pump']

c. 1935 - c. 1944

Career position - Committee member, Adelaide Division, Institution of Engineers Australia

1938

Award - Electrical Association Premium, Institution of Engineers Australia

c. 1938

Career event - Associate Member (AMIEE), Institution of Electrical Engineers, London

1938 - 1946

Career position - Chief Design Engineer, Adelaide Electric Supply Company Limited

1940 - 1941

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

1941

Award - Electrical Association Premium, Institution of Engineers Australia

1942 - c. 1945

Career position - Second World War. Chairman, Scientific Manpower (Engineering) Advisory Sub Committee, Adelaide

1946 - 1950

Career position - Chief Design Engineer, Electricity Trust of South Australia

1950 - 1953

Career position - Assistant to the Manager for Engineering Research, Electricity Trust of South Australia

1953

Buried - Centennial Park Cemetery

Related entries

Published resources

Book Sections

• Linn, R.W., 'Stobie, James Cyril (1895-1953), engineer and inventor' in Australian dictionary of biography, volume 16: 1940 - 1980 Pik-Z, John Ritchie and Diane Langmore, eds (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2002), pp. 314-315. https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/stobie-james-cyril-11776. Details

Conference Papers

• Stobie, J. C., 'Electricity in rural areas of South Australia', in Proceedings of the Engineering Conference, 1953, Melbourne (Sydney: Institution of Engineers Australia, 1953), pp. 103-110.. Details

Edited Books

• Cumming, D. A.; Moxham, G. C. ed., They built South Australia : engineers, technicians, manufacturers, contractors and their work (Adelaide: D.A. Cumming and G.C Moxham, 1986), 241 pp. "Stobie, James Cyril. ME(Adel), FSASM, AMIEE, AMIEAust (1895-1953)" pp.180-2 (incl. portrait). Details

Journal Articles

• 'Prizes of the Institution [Warren Memorial Prize 1942, 1943, 1944; Electrical Association Premium 1941;', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 17 (6) (1945), 116. Electrical Association Premium. 1941 Award, to Mr J C Stobie, ME AMIEAust, for his paper entitled "Longitudinal Loadings on Flexible Transmission Line Supports", presented before the Adelaide Division on 21 November 1941. Details
• Moon, Allan Ramsay; Veale, W. C. D.; Stobie, J. C.; Cotton, A. F.; Hursthouse, C. F.; Gibb, A. J.; Chapman, W. D.; Lang, E., 'Control of quality in electrically welded steel structures (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2 (11) (1930), 434-435. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Design for light concrete steel poles', Quarterly Bulletin, Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2 (6) (1925), 45. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'A design for light concrete steel poles (Abstracts of papers read before Divisions)', Transactions of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 5 (1925), 302-305, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.862422369644012. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Pole footings', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2 (2) (1930), 58-63. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Batch heating with a varying performance heat pump', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 3 (8) (1931), 279-283. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'The manufacture of ice in batches', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 4 (10) (1932), 339-349. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Batch heating with a varying performance heat pump (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 5 (1) (1933), 21. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Cement concrete and pins for porcelain insulators', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (6) (1936), 221-227. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Engineers and education [Chairman's Address, Adelaide Division]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 13 (10) (1941), 248-250. Details
• Stobie, J. C., 'Longitudinal loadings on flexible transmission line supports', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 14 (5) (1942), 105-114. Details
• Stobie, J. C. [and others], 'Pole footings (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 2 (10) (1930), 385-. Details
• Stobie, J. C.; Chapman, R. W.; Cameron, A. R.; Atkins, L. M.; Clark, H. R., 'Cement concrete and pins for porcelain insulators (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (11) (1936), 438-439. Details
• Stobie, J. C.; Fawcett, W. D'A., 'Value of electrical losses in transmission and distribution', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 10 (11) (1938), 405-412. Details
• Stobie, J. C.; Fawcett, W. D'A., 'Value of electrical losses in transmission and distribution (Corrigenda)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 11 (2) (1939), 52. Details
• Stobie, J. C.; Fawcett, W. D'A., 'Value of electrical losses in transmission and distribution (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 11 (6) (1939), 203. Details
• Stobie, J. C.; Fawcett, W. D'A.; Clark, E. V., 'Value of electrical losses in transmission and distribution (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 11 (3) (1939), 96. Details
• Stobie, J. C.; Wigan, L. J. C.; Brookman, J. R.; Wheadon, F. W.; Farrant, T. A.; Jenkinson, H. G.; Hurtshouse, C. F.; Melbourne, H. E. S., 'Batch heating with a varying performance heat pump (Discussions and communications)', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 3 (11) (1931), 394. Details

Newspaper Articles

• 'Death of Mr. J. C. Stobie', The Advertiser (1953), 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48260821. Details
• R. L., 'Poles to carry light and withstand the ravages of time ... and White Ants.', The Mail (Adelaide) (1939), 25, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55910705. Details

Resources

• Wikidata, http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q21539459. Details
• IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, 'Application: 2772/1931. Title: Process of and means for heating or cooling batches of water or other fluid with a heat pump or a cold pump system', Australian Patent search database, Commonwealth of Australia, 2015, https://ipsearch.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/1931002772. Details
• IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, 'Application: 1918/1926. Title: Improved pole for carrying electric cables, telegraph and telephone wires and for like purposes', Australian Patent search database, Commonwealth of Australia, 2015, https://ipsearch.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/1926001918. Details
• IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, 'Application: 18684/1924. Title: An improved pole for carrying electric cables, telegraph and telephone wires and other purposes', Australian Patent search database, Commonwealth of Australia, 2015, https://ipsearch.ipaustralia.gov.au/patents/1924018684. Details
• 'Stobie, James Cyril (1895-19531231)', Trove, National Library of Australia, 2009, https://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1469875. Details

See also

• Butters, J. H.; Dare, H. H.; Julius, G. A.; Myers, W. H.; Corner, W. S.; McKay, R. T.; Poole, William; Vine-Hall, R.; Stephens, C. T.; Tournay-Hinde, A. W.; Smith, A. C.; Carter, H. G.; Madsen, J. P. V.; Stobie, J. C.; Flockart, A. P.; Child, H. A., 'Notes on the development of the power resources of Tasmania (Discussions and communications)', Transactions of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 7 (1927), 616-632, https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.865142783447709. Details
• Institution of Engineers Australia, 'Twenty-third Annual Report [1942]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 15 (2) (1943), 35-51. Prizes - Electrical Association Premium: (1938 Award) to Mr J C Stobie, ME AMIEAust, and Mr W D'A Fawcett, BE AMIEAust, Adelaide Division, for their paper "The Value of Electrical Losses in Transmission and Distribution". Details
• Institution of Engineers Australia, 'Twenty-sixth Annual Report [1945]', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 18 (1-2) (1946), 2-16. Prizes - Electrical Association Premium: (1941 Award), to Mr J C Stobie, ME AMIEAust, Adelaide Division, for his paper "Longitudinal Loadings on Flexible Transmission Line Supports". Details
• Lea, R. H. M., 'Rural transmission line practice on the system of the Adelaide Electric Supply Company, Limited', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 8 (8) (1936), 306-310. Details
• Pender, E. B., 'The lateral support afforded to piers founded in sand', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 19 (7) (1947), 151-160. Details
• Russack, Andrew, 'The Stobie Pole', in Distribution 2003 : 7th International Energy Transmission & Distribution Conference & Exhibition. (Port Melbourne, Vic.: Waldron Smith Management, 2003), pp. 2255-62., https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.341828525535834. Details
• Wheadon, F. W. H., 'The Adelaide Electric Supply Company's system', Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 9 (1) (1937), 24-32. Details