barton

Miss Clara Harlow Barton, called Clara, the volunteer nurse of the Civil War, earned the nickname "Angel of the Battlefield" for her unerring efforts caring for the wounded of both sides. She was a pioneer in military health, a genius of public relations, and the world’s founder of systems for identifying the missing and the dead.

In June, 1995, the US Postal Service honored Clara with a 32¢ stamp as part of the American Civil War Classic Collection. First Day of Issue ceremonies were held on June 29, 1995, in front of the Cyclorama Center at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. (Scott 2975c).

I'm struck by the remarkable similarity of the likeness in the stamp to that of the Mathew Brady portrait of Clara Barton (above), however I've not found anything to indicate Brady's portrait was the basis for the stamp.

Clara Barton was also honored with a 3¢ commemorative stamp in September, 1948, as the founder of the American Red Cross in 1881. First Day ceremonies were held on September 7, 1948, in Clara's hometown of Oxford, Massachusetts. (Scott 967).

 
                 
        Clara Barton - Civil War Issue       Clara Barton - Founder American Red Cross
 

flickr.com/photos/193005003@N06/52453152158/in/photolist-...

Edward Gustavus Campbell Barton (1857-1942) is hardly a household name in Queensland, however as a pioneer of electricity supply his contribution to the development and modernisation of the state is unquestionable. Born in Toorak, Victoria, Barton had quite an international education, attending school in Dunedin, New Zealand, receiving engineering training in Scotland, and studying in Germany at Karlsruhe Polytechnische Schule. Prior to returning to the Southern Hemisphere in the early 1880s, he superintended the first commercial electric-lighting system in Britain at Godalming, Surrey in 1882. Back in Queensland, Barton worked as an electricity consultant during which time he erected an electrical plant for the Phoenix Gold Mines at Gympie. He was appointed Queensland Government Electrician in 1886 and saw to the completion of lighting installations in the parliamentary buildings and government printing office. In 1888, with C. F. White, he formed Barton, White & Co., manufacturers of electrical equipment, with the intention to supply electric light to the public. This they did, setting up their first power station in Edison Lane off Creek Street, the lane no doubt being named with this early occupant in mind. With their first customer being the nearby Queensland General Post Office, Barton, White & Co. established the first public electricity supply in Australia and became the first electricity supplier in Australia. However, in 1896, suffering from competition with gas companies and a conservative market, the company liquidated. Soon after, the persistent Barton reformed the company as the Brisbane Electric Supply Co. Ltd, with himself as manager. In 1901, operations moved to a new location in Ann Street, where Barton installed the first steam turbine in Queensland. The firm became the City Electric Light Co. Ltd in 1904 with Barton as general manager and a director, before he resigned, becoming a consultant. Edward Barton’s vision, innovation, and determination saw him successfully drive the establishment of electricity supply in Queensland, assisting the State in becoming the national front-runner in the field. Barton without a doubt left a considerable legacy on both the industry and the State. In addition to these achievements, Barton later lectured in electrical engineering and physics at Brisbane Technical College, was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a member for Brisbane North in 1908, was appointed to the first senate of the University of Queensland in 1910, and served as president of the Brisbane Institute of Social Services from 1910-1915. In 1915 Barton left Australia to work with the British Ministry of Munitions and was based in Europe until his death in England in 1942. Source: www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/edward-gustavus-campbell-barton-e...

Brisbane in 1888 was only 7 years behind the world’s first commercial public electricity supply system in Godalming in England in 1881. The advent of “cool” electric light to replace the “hot” gas lights was a welcome change for the citizens in a sub-tropical city, and as had been reported previously in the Brisbane Courier on 23 June, "during summer nights, the employees of the Post Office have suffered considerably through the vitiated state of the atmosphere in this room caused by the large consumption of gas and bad ventilation." The Barton & White enterprise started off providing the whole gamut of electrical services, as well as generation and supply wiring, by “manufacturing all fittings for electric light and power, supply brackets for lamps, sockets, cut outs, portable hand lamps, reflectors, arc lamps of 2000 candlepower, electric motors, etc., and undertake electrical work in all parts of the colony”.(S.A.Prentice Edward Barton Pioneer Electrical Engineer, 1988) From this humble beginning, using small carbon filament lamps and steam boilers fuelled by wood (because the cheaper coal was found to be a smoke nuisance), the whole electricity supply industry in Queensland has grown to provide a service right throughout our state, and which is essential to our modern way of life. Brian Becconsall, Engineering Heritage Queensland 10 Aug 2013 Source: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/sites/default/files/resourc...