P008075 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2026-06-19 human Gavan McCarthy; Bruce Rigby updated 2026-06-24 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P008075b.htm person Rigby Edward Joseph AACR2 5 January 1859 24 October 1948 Place of Birth Victoria, Australia Place of Death Mentone, Victoria, Australia Engineer Metallurgist Businessman Edward J. Rigby was an engineer who played a leading role in the development of electric arc welding in Australia and the United States of America. He was a partner in Hughes, Pye & Rigby (1878) which manufactured mining plant, steam engines, elevators, wool and other hydraulic presses. It was incorporated as The Austral Otis Engineering and Elevator Company (1887) which then became The Austral Otis Engineering Co Ltd (1893-1948). He was Chairman of directors of Robert Bryce and Co Pty Ltd (c1913-). He was a foundation member of the Victorian Institute of Engineers (1883), the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1893), and the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (1903).

Edward and Frances had eight children: Charles Edward (1881-1961); Edward John (1885-1963); Joshua Allan (1887-1890); William Walter (1889-1890); Marion Margaret (1891-1948); Frances Mary (1893-1984); Alice Isobel (1895-1978); and Harold (Harry) Alexander (1897-1972). Harry married Beryl Jean Bryce (1901-?) and added a family connection to the business relationship with the Robert Bryce family. The Rigby family became the collectors and keepers of records from both families.

1878 1887 Business event - Partnership of Hughes, Pye & Rigby manufacturing mining plant, steam engines, elevators, wool and other hydraulic presses. December 1880 December 1880 Life event - Married Frances Anne Louise Waite (1860-1930), St John's Church, Latrobe Street Melbourne 1887 1887 Business event - Incorporation of Austral Otis Engineering and Elevator Company Ltd with EJ Rigby as a director. 1893 1948 Business event - Name change to Australl Otis Engineering Co Ltd with EJ Rigby as a director. c. 1900 1914 Business event - Austral Otis provides five pumping engines for the Spotswood Pumping Station, Victoria 1905 1905 Life event - Edward J Rigby and family were involved in proving exercises for the Clarkson steam omnibus for the Victorian Railways. [See 'They call it Shank's Pony'] 4 April 1917 15 June 1917 Career event - Arrived in the Russian Far East to conduct metallurgical surveys on behalf of the Engineering Company of Russia and Siberia, with colleagues Greenway, Findlay and Reeves, and Mr Dicken, an Englishman who spoke Russian. 1919 1919 Life event - Robert Bryce and Edward J Rigby support their sons in preparing to fly from London to Australia. The flight did not take place due to technical issues with the engine. Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, State of Victoria (1891 - 1990s)

Austral Otis designed and built sewerage pumping engines for the Spotswood Sewerage Pumping Station c1900 - 1914

 Clapp, Harold Winthrop (1875 - 1952)

Apprenticed to Austral Otis Engineering Co Ltd

 Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (1893 - )

Foundation member

 Victorian Institute of Engineers (1883 - 1949)

Foundation member

 Robert Bryce and Company Limited (1913 - 1986)

Chairman of directors (1913 - ?)

 'Rigby, Edward Joseph', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, History of Australian Science Research Group Rigby, Edward Joseph Swinburne University of Technology, Office of the Chief Scientist Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource Section: Austral Otis Pumping Engine No.8, Spotswood Pumping Station Churchward, Matthew Austral Otis Pumping Engine No.8, Spotswood Pumping Station Museums Victoria 2011 Museums Victoria Collections Resource Section: They call it Shank's Pony Anon They call it Shank's Pony https://yallambie.wordpress.com/ 2019 Yallambie Newspaper Article: Mr Harry Rigby's Plans Anon. Mr Harry Rigby's Plans Melbourne, Victoria Edward Wilson & Partners 1919 The Argus Journal Article: Between revolutions: an Australian view of Russia in 1917 McNair, John Between revolutions: an Australian view of Russia in 1917 Miskin Hill 2011 Australian Slavonic and East European Studies 25 1-2 121-131 Journal Article: Metallographic aspects of arc-welded joints (Lecture & Discussion) Rigby, Edward J. Metallographic aspects of arc-welded joints (Lecture & Discussion) 1924 Proceedings of the Victorian Institute of Engineers 1923-1924 53-56 Journal Article: Industrial development Burnell, J. G. Industrial development 1934 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 6 10 407-412 Rigby, Edward Joseph (1859 - 1948) - Family Records Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Library Rigby, Edward Joseph (1859 - 1948) - Family Records BSAR03905 c. 1900 - c. 1948 An open assemblage of materials collected by the Rigby family relating to the life and work of Edward Joseph Rigby (1859-1948) and businesses including Hugh, Pye and Rigby, the Austral Otis Engineering Company and the Robert Bryce Company Ltd. This collection, held by the Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Library comprises selected digital copies that relate to the engineering practice in particular the development of ar-welding in Australia. Of note are six short mp4 versions of films shot in the 1930s relating to the manufacture of gasometers [Reels: 62; 68; 75; 85; 108; ans 112] 1 open collection Digital, Video, Photographs A diary of a traveller in Russia during the Revolution from 4th April to 15th June 1917, 1917 Apr. 4-June 15. [manuscript] State Library of Victoria, Australian Manuscripts Collection A diary of a traveller in Russia during the Revolution from 4th April to 15th June 1917, 1917 Apr. 4-June 15. [manuscript] MS 11714 4 April 1917 - 29 July 1917 Letters by Rigby, an Australian mining engineer, to his wife describing his experiences while travelling from Vladivostock to Petrograd, including descriptiongs of the people, their cultures, the political situation, the countryside, villages and cities, architecture, foods, prices etc. Letter of 28 June 1917, also describes the political situation in Petrograd, subsequent letters (to 29 July 1917) telling of the journey through Scandinavia, of the voyage to Liverpool and stay in London (with special reference to the first World War). Format: The text is a letter in the form of a diary ie. with dated entries. Despite the title, the last entry is dated 29 July. Typescript. Biographical note: Rigby was about 55 years old at the time of writing. He was at one time the Managing Director of Austral Otis Engineering Company, South Melbourne. [Note: The Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Library holds a pdf transcript of the letters with an introduction by Nell Daniel.] 0.02 m, 1 item Typescript