John Richard Bainton
John Richard Bainton ( -1924)
1924 Obituary [1]
JOHN RICHARD BAINTON received his early training in London and went to Australia about 1889, where for several years he was associated with the representation of Messrs. Woodhouse and Rawson, of London.
Later he joined Messrs. Edge and Edge, electrical engineers, of Sydney, and whilst with them constructed and equipped a pioneer electric railway at Brighton-le-Sands, New South Wales. He also introduced the electric lift into Australia, later becoming connected with the Standard Electric Elevator Co., of Sydney.
When Messrs. Dick, Kerr and Co. secured the first contract for electric lighting plant for the city of Sydney he became the company's Australian representative, and subsequently was associated with many large contracts.
In 1920, arrangements were made by Messrs. Standard - Waygood-Hercules, Ltd. (which the Standard Electric Elevator Co. had become by amalgamation with other concerns) to manufacture heavy electrical and steam machinery in Australia to the designs of the English Electric Co., the Australian company taking the name of the English Electric Co. of Australia, Ltd. Of this company he was a managing director up to the time of his death.
As a director of Automatic Telephones (Australasia), Ltd., he introduced the automatic telephone to Australia; and he was also one of the pioneers in the use of motor bicycles and motor cars.
He was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1889 and a Member in 1899, and was also a foundation member of The Electrical Association of New South Wales (since incorporated in The Institution of Engineers; Australia), serving as President in 1901 and 1902. He took a keen interest in the local volunteers and at one time commanded the company of engineers responsible for military searchlight work in connection with the defence of Sydney.