P000036 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human McCarthy, G.J. updated 2025-12-31 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000036b.htm person Balsillie John Graeme AACR2 11 September 1885 10 July 1924 Place of Birth Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Place of Death Cincinatti, United States of America Wireless expert Electrical engineer John Balsillie was officially the Commonwealth Consulting Expert on wireless telegraphy from 1916 but also conducted rainmaking experiments while working on the Transcontinental Railway.

Born Brisbane, 11 September 1885. Died Cincinatti, 10 July 1924. Studied electrical engineering, England 1903. Armstrong-Whitworth workshops 1903-04, invented a magnetic detector 1904; company erecting wireless telegraph stations in England then in Russia; worked Germany, Siberia and China ca 1905-09; formed the British Radiotelegraph Co ca 1909-11; engineer for radiotelegraphy, Australian Postmaster-General's Department 1911-15; rainfall stimulation using the 'Balsillie Rain Stimulation and Procuration Plant' 1915-21; commercial manufacture of his 'Flatlight' reflectors, United States of America 1921-24.

1903 1903 Education - Studied electrical engineering in England 1903 1904 Career position - Engineer at Armstrong-Whitworth Workshops, UK 1904 1904 Career position - Invented a magnetic detector c. 1909 c. 1911 Career position - Formed and ran the British Radiotelegraph Co. 1911 1915 Career position - Engineer in Radiotelegraphy in the Australian Postmaster-General's Department 1915 1921 Career position - Researched rainfall stimulation using the 'Balsillie Rain Stimulation and Procuration Plant' 1921 1924 Career position - Commercial manufacture of his 'Flatlight' reflectors in the USA Postmaster-General's Department, Commonwealth of Australia (1901 - 1975) 1911 1915

John Balsillie was an Engineer for radiotelegraphy with the Australian Postmaster-General's Department from 1911 - 1915.

Wikidata

 Balsillie, John Graeme (1885-1924)

Trove

 'Balsillie, John Graeme', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Balsillie, John Graeme Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book Section: The Origins of Australian Broadcasting, 1900-1923 Curnow, R. The Origins of Australian Broadcasting, 1900-1923 Melbourne 1963 Initiative and Organization I. Bedford and R. Curnow Book Section: Balsillie, John Graeme (1885-1924), engineer and inventor Cleland, Lindsay Balsillie, John Graeme (1885-1924), engineer and inventor Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1979 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 162 John Graeme Balsillie - Records National Archives of Australia, Melbourne Office John Graeme Balsillie - Records MP 341/1 1910 - 1920 Information and records in Postmaster-General, correspondence files c1910-20 [MP 341/1]. John Graeme Balsillie - Records National Archives of Australia, National Office John Graeme Balsillie - Records CRS A432 1910 - 1920 Information and records in the Attorney-General's Department, correspondence files c1910-20 [CRS A432]. John Graeme Balsillie - Records National Library of Australia Manuscript Collection John Graeme Balsillie - Records MS 499 1915 - 1917 Typescript notes of extracts from a laboratory notebook concerning methods of precipitating aqueous vapour in the atmosphere, with photographs of his rain stimulation and procuration plant at Bookaloo, South Australia 1915-16; typescript notes entitled 'Balsillie Rainfall Stimulator. A theory relating to Atmospheric electricity and its effects on Weather Conditions generally', Melbourne 1917 [2.5 cm, MS 499]. 0.025 m