Kernot, Wilfrid Noyce (1868 - 1945)

Born
18 July 1868
Newtown, Victoria, Australia
Died
17 May 1945
Caulfield, Victoria, Australia
Occupation
Engineer
Summary

Wilfrid Noyce Kernot, the younger brother of William Charles, held a succession of teaching and leadership roles at the Working Men's College from the late 1880s. His responsibilities spanned applied mechanics, mechanical drawing, solid geometry, electrical engineering and engineering education. In c.1891, he was appointed instructor in applied mechanics - design and assistant instructor in practical solid geometry and mechanical drawing (SER-05110, 1891, pp. 36, 40 and 41, RMIT University Archives). He was appointed head of the Department of Engineering in c.1898 (SER-05116, 1898, p. 40, RMIT University Archives), Vice-President in 1918-1919, and President in 1919 of the Working Men's College. In 1904-05, Kernot travelled to the United States and Europe to investigate the emerging electrical engineering industry and the application of electricity to public infrastructure. He subsequently served as a director of the New Australian Electric Company Limited and became recognised as an expert in patents, electric tramways and power generation. Later, Kernot became professor of engineering at the University of Melbourne (Murray-Smith and Dare, 1987, pp. 48 and 468).

Related Organisations

Archival Resources

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives

  • [1898 Prospectus of the Working Men's College Melbourne]. Melbourne: [The College], [1898]. 100p. Contained in bound volume 3, 1898, Item no. SER-05116, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details
  • Prospectus of the Working Men's College Melbourne for 1891. Melbourne: [The College], 1891. 64p. - Contained in bound volume 2, 1891, Item no. SER-05110, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives. Details

Published Resources

Books

  • Murray-Smith, Stephen and Dare, Anthony John, The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House Publishing Pty Limited, South Yarra, Victoria, 1987. Details

Journal Articles

Newspaper Articles

Webpages

Images

Title
Professor Wilfred Noyce KERNOT
Type
Image
Date
1920
Creator
RMIT University Photographer
Control
1354; PH1.1.005:01
Source
RMIT University Library

Details

Title
Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Student Model (1 of 2) by SH Smith, c1890
Type
3D Image
Date
August 2026
Creator
Rampe Realistic Imaging Pty Ltd
Control
INV/2016/0000008

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: [1898 Prospectus of the Working Men's College Melbourne]. Melbourne: [The College], [1898]. 100p. Contained in bound volume 3, 1898, Item no. SER-05116, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives; 'Obituary', Journal of the Institution of Civil Engineers, vol. 25, no. 2, December 1945, p. 156. Also available at https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/10.1680/ijoti.1945.13932; 'Prof Kernot Dies: Notable Family', The Argus (Melbourne, Victoria), 18 May 1945, p. 6. Also available at http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1107195; Murray-Smith, S., Wilfred Noyce Kernot (1868-1945), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2006. Also available at https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kernot-wilfred-noyce-6937; Murray-Smith, Stephen and Dare, Anthony John, The Tech: A Centenary History of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Hyland House Publishing Pty Limited, South Yarra, Victoria, 1987; Prospectus of the Working Men's College Melbourne for 1891. Melbourne: [The College], 1891. 64p. - Contained in bound volume 2, 1891, Item no. SER-05110, Series S0390; Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University Archives.

Created: 1 December 2021, Last modified: 27 August 2026