German-born Australian engineer who introduced the Monier system to Australia.
Biographical Information
| Name: | William Julius Baltzer |
|---|---|
| Other name(s): | Wilhelm Julius Baltzer |
| Born on | 21 December 1858 in Diez, Rhein-Lahn-Kreis, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Europe |
| Deceased on | 15 December 1948 in Blackheath, City of Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia, Australia and Oceania |
| Collaborator of | Frank Moorhouse Gummow, John Monash |
| Place(s) of activity: | |
| 1883 | Emigrates from Germany to Adelaide, South Australia. |
| 23 January 1884 | Takes oath of allegiance. |
| 1885 | Moves to Sydney, New South Wales. Joins the Sewerage Construction Branch of the NSW Public Works Department as a draughtsman/engineer, but is retrenched during the economic depression of the early 1890s. |
| Around 1890 | Visists a relative in Germany who is a Professor at the Technical School, Berlin and tours the country inspecting and photographing Monier arch bridges. He returns to Sydney with the promise of technical back-up from Wayss & Co, German patentees of the Monier system, and secures the Australian rights with J. Carter and David Graham Snodgrass. Baltzer then joins Carter Gummow & Co. and goes on to design the aqueducts at Annandale, near Sydney, and the Morell Bridge in Melbourne. He advises John Monash on theory and practice of reinforced concrete, most significantly in 1903 and continues to check designs emanating from Monashs office until about 1910. |
Notes & Comments
In later years, Baltzer became an ardent conservationist, especially in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales where Baltzer Lookout commemorates his work.
Structures and Projects
Participation in the following structures & large-scale projects:
designer
- About this
data sheet - Person-ID
1002864 - Published on:
11/08/2003 - Last updated on:
22/07/2014
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