P000994 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 Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Annette Alafaci updated 2025-10-29 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000994b.htm person Alcock Alfred Upton AACR2 22 September 1865 1 February 1962 Place of Birth Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia Place of Death Exmouth, England Electrical engineer Inventor Alfred Alcock, MIEE MIEAust, 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.

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)
* Electric rock drills, coal diggers and earth cutters - with W B Brain (1889)
* 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 (1918)
* 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 1889 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.

c. 1882 c. 1888 Career position - Billiard table manufacturing with Alcock & Co. in Melbourne 1883 1883 Career position - Applied for his first patent (for "improvements in electrical apparatus for registering numbers such as for billiard marking") 1888 1888 Career position - Co-developer of the Electricity generating-station in Corr's Lane, Melbourne 1889 1889 Career event - Member (MIEE), Institution of Electrical Engineers, London 1889 1889 Career position - A.U. Alcock Electric Light and Motive Power Company founded in Burnley St, Richmond, Victoria 1896 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 August 1897 Life event - Married Jessie McFarlane in Melbourne 1899 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 1904 1904 Patent - An electrical system for the protection of strongroom doors and the like [1152/1904] 1906 1907 Career position - President, Victorian Institute of Electrical Engineers 1910 1917 Career position - Manager of Alcock & Co in Perth 1911 1911 Patent - An electrical method for protecting woodpiles and the like from being attacked by the teredo and other marine animals or insects [2308/1911] 1917 1927 Career position - Returned to Melbourne and formed partnership with Herbert del Cott 1918 1918 Patent - An electric process for thawing carcasses of frozen meat and the like [8562/1918] 1919 1922 Career event - Foundation Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1922 Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1927 1927 Life event - Retired to England Victorian Institute of Electrical Engineers ( - 1915)

President 1907-1908

Wikidata

 Alcock, Alfred Upton (1865-1962)

Trove

 'Alcock, Alfred Upton', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Alcock, Alfred Upton Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Australian Patent search database IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia Australian Patent search database Commonwealth of Australia 2015 Resource: Australian Patent search database IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia Australian Patent search database Commonwealth of Australia 2015 Resource: Australian Patent search database IP Australia, Commonwealth of Australia Australian Patent search database Commonwealth of Australia 2015 Book Section: Alcock, Alfred Upton (1865-1962), electrical engineer and inventor Lincolne, G. B. Alcock, Alfred Upton (1865-1962), electrical engineer and inventor Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1979 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 7: 1891 - 1939 A-Ch Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle 30-31