John Earnshaw

Who was John Earnshaw?

John William Earnshaw was a self-taught Australian engineer credited with many inventions. He also conducted research into Australian history.

John was born in Randwick, NSW, as the son of a noted Sydney horse trainer and Melbourne Cup winner. He served with the Royal Engineers in France during World War 1. After the war, he undertook many dangerous travels in Papua New Guinea.

He set up a business, Reilax Engineering, which specialised in the production-line problems. The business prospered for over 30 years in North Sydney, until he retired in 1969. He invented a number of machines for filling metal and glass containers for the food, cosmetics, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing industries. For the Red Cross Blood Bank, he devised an oscillator for separating plasma from blood. He was a pioneer of industrial chromium plating in Sydney. His oil-free compressor was widely used on tractors, graders, road rollers and similar earthmoving equipment.

His many inventions have greatly benefited Australian manufactures.