P007266 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2023-09-06 human Ken McInnes updated 2026-04-01 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P007266b.htm person Forbes Mackay Hugh Rose AACR2 7 October 1871 19 October 1940 Place of Birth Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Electrical engineer Hugh Forbes Mackay, MIEAust, had a distinguished career as the electrical engineer and general manager of Sydney's electricity undertakings from 1908 until he retired in 1939. When he was appointed, from 139 applicants from all over the world, the Sydney City Council electricity department was supplying 1,600 consumers. At the time of his retirement, as the General Manager, Sydney County Council, this had increased to 250,000 as well as 30,000 consumers supplied by other local governing authorities with electricity bought in bulk. He was one of the best-known electrical engineers in Australia, and his significant contribution to engineering was acknowledged when he was awarded the Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal in 1936.

His brother, Alister Forbes Mackay (1878 - 1914), was expedition doctor on the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909, led by Ernest Shackleton, and was a member of the ill-fated Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-1914.

c. 1889 c. 1891 Education - Engineering course, Heriot-Watt College, Edinburgh c. 1891 c. 1893 Career position - Apprenticeship, Gourlay Bros, Dundee. [Marine engineers] c. 1893 c. 1895 Career position - Working electrical engineering experience in the engine-rooms of steamers, P and O Company. [Making voyages to India, China and Japan] c. 1895 c. 1895 Career position - Engineer, Brush Electrical Engineering Company 1895 1897 Career position - Shift engineer, Electric power station, Edinburgh Municipal Council 1897 1899 Career position - Engineer, on staff of Professor Alexander Kennedy, Consulting engineers [Consultants to Edinburgh Municipal Council, and for the erection of other electrical plants] 1899 1901 Career position - Chief Assistant to the City Electrical Engineer, Edinburgh Municipal Council 1901 c. 1905 Career position - Electrical engineer, Battersea Municipal Council, London 1905 1907 Life event - Travelled to warmer climates, including the West Indies, for health reasons 1907 1908 Career position - Resident electrical engineer, Metropolitan District, Great Western Railway 1908 1908 Life event - Moved to Sydney, Australia, to take up appointment with Electricity Department, Sydney City Council 1908 1908 Career event - Member, Electrical Association of New South Wales 1908 1935 Career position - City Electrical Engineer, Electricity Department, Sydney City Council 1910 1911 Career position - President, Electrical Association of New South Wales 1914 1914 Career event - Member, Electrical Association of Australia [from Electrical Association of New South Wales] 1914 1914 Career event - Member, Engineering Association of New South Wales 1914 1915 Career position - NSW Councillor, Electrical Association of Australia 1919 1919 Career event - Foundation Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1921 1921 Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1935 1939 Career position - General manager, Sydney County Council 1936 1936 Award - Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal - Career Achievement Award in Engineering. Institution of Engineers Australia 1939 1939 Life event - Retired 1939 1940 Career position - Chief Censor of Communications, New South Wales 1939 1940 Career position - Consulting electrical engineer 1940 1940 Buried - Cremated, Northern Suburbs Crematorium, New South Wales Vine Hall, Roger (1878 - 1967) Sydney County Council, State of New South Wales (1935 - 1991)

Forbes Mackay was appointed General Manager, Sydney County Council when it was formed in 1935. He transitioned all the electricity undertakings from the Electricity Department, Sydney City Council, retiring in 1939.

 Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal, Institution of Engineers, Australia (1922 - )

Awarded the Medal 1936.

 'Forbes Mackay, Hugh Rose', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Forbes Mackay, Hugh Rose Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: The Osborne Power Station and transmission system of the Adelaide Electric Supply Co. Ltd. (Discussions and communications) Wheadon, F. W. H. (Clark, E. V.; Watkins, A. A.; Hursthouse, C. F.; Forbes Mackay, H. R.; Forster, A. D. J.; Sinclair, W.; Carter, H. G.) The Osborne Power Station and transmission system of the Adelaide Electric Supply Co. Ltd. (Discussions and communications) Sydney, NSW Institution of Engineers Australia 1925 Transactions of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 5 372-380 Book: Fifty years of electricity supply : the story of Sydney's electricity undertaking Anderson, Gordon F. Fifty years of electricity supply : the story of Sydney's electricity undertaking Sydney Sydney County Council 1955 Book Section: Chapter 14: Electricity supply in the Sydney region Dunstan, David Chapter 14: Electricity supply in the Sydney region Crows Nest, New South Wales Engineers Australia 1989 Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney Don Fraser 271-284 Journal Article: Seventeenth Annual Report [1936] Institution of Engineers Australia Seventeenth Annual Report [1936] 1937 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia MacLean, E. S. 9 4 145-154 Journal Article: Impressions of electric supply abroad Forbes Mackay, H. R. Impressions of electric supply abroad 1918 Commonwealth Engineer 5 10 284-286 Journal Article: Melbourne City Council's electrical supply undertaking Forbes Mackay, H. R. Melbourne City Council's electrical supply undertaking 1914 Commonwealth Engineer 2 2 84-96 Journal Article: A short description of the electric supply undertaking of the Sydney City Council Forbes Mackay, H. R. A short description of the electric supply undertaking of the Sydney City Council 1914 Journal and abstract of proceedings of the Sydney University Engineering Society 19 32A-32K Journal Article: Notes on some of the motors connected to the City Council Electricity Supply mains Forbes Mackay, H. R. Notes on some of the motors connected to the City Council Electricity Supply mains 1911-1912 Proceedings of the Electrical Association of New South Wales 43-44 Journal Article: Presidential address Forbes Mackay, H. R. Presidential address 1910-1911 Proceedings of the Electrical Association of New South Wales 5-16 Journal Article: Memoirs Memoirs 1940 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 12 12 332-335 Journal Article: P.N.R. Memorial Medal - 1941 Award [R. J. Boyd, M.E., M.I.E.Aust.] P.N.R. Memorial Medal - 1941 Award [R. J. Boyd, M.E., M.I.E.Aust.] 1941 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 13 12 295