Item 1 - The Story of the Development of Hydro-Electricity in Tasmania

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Reference code

AU TAS UTAS SPARC G6-1

Title

The Story of the Development of Hydro-Electricity in Tasmania

Date(s)

  • 1960 (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

164 foolscap typed pages

Context area

Name of creator

(1890-1974)

Biographical history

Frank C. Green collaborated with Albert J. Gillies in drafting a history of the early development of hydro-electricity in Tasmania, pioneered by Gillies' father, James Hynde Gillies (1861-1942). J.H. Gillies, a metallurgist, developed an electrolytic process for extracting zinc from complex ores and in 1908 he started the Complex Ores Co. in Melbourne.
He proposed to establish works in Tasmania, using hydro-~ectric power from the waters of the Great Lake and the Shannon River. The hydro scheme was suggested by Harold Bisdee. a Midlands land owner, and Alexander McAulay, Professor of Mathematics at the University of Tasmania. The project was authorised in 1909 by the Complex Ores Act, which also allocated a site at Electrona, North West Bay for the refining works. A subsidiary of the Complex Ores Co., the Hydro-Electric Power and Metallurgical Co. was established and on 17 December 1910, at an informal ceremony, Mrs. McAulay turned the first sod for the water power development on land owned by Professor McAulay. A severe winter and other problems delayed work however.
In 1914 the Hydro-Electric undertaking was sold to the Government. In 1916 the Government authorised a rival firm, Amalgamated Zinc, to establish a zinc works at Risdon and agreed to supply hydro-electricity for it. Gillies retained a Carbide Electro Products project but this did not start producing until 1921 and in 1924 was taken over by the Hydro-Electricity Department.
The draft history was based on original records of the Complex Ores Co. and the Hydro-Electric Power and Metallurgy Co. as well as Gillies' private papers, and includes some extracts, but the original papers were burnt after A.J. Gillies' death, by his widow.

Name of creator

(n.d.)

Biographical history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited by F.C. Green 1969

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Draft copy of "The Story of the Development of Hydro-Electricity in Tasmania" by A.J. Gilles & F.C. Green from the papers of the
Complex Ores Company, the Hydro-Electric Power and Metallurgical Company and the private papers of J.H. Gillies 'who brought Hydro-Electricity to Tasmania'.
Typescript with ms corrections and notes

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Available for research

Conditions governing reproduction

This material is made available for personal research and study purposes under the University of Tasmania Standard Copyright Licence. For any further use permission should be obtained from the copyright owners. For assistance please contact Special.Collections@utas.edu.au

When reusing this material, please cite the reference number and provide the following acknowledgement:
“Courtesy of the UTAS Library Special & Rare Collections”

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Dates of creation revision deletion

LG 16/8/2018

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