Stamps And Letters: Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Feature Part 1

Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Feature Part 1

These eight magnificent stamps celebrate eight different pioneers responsible for the Industrial Revolution which powered Britain forward in the 18th and 19th centuries and put the "Great" into Great Britain!

Matthew Boulton was an English manufacturer/engineer born 1728 in Birmingham. He became a partner in his father's business aged 21 and in 1755 the family acquired Sarehole Mill. Boulton later went into partnership with John Fothergill and in 1762 they set up the Soho Manufactory where they produced metal objects such as steel buttons, diamond imitations and repro oil paintings.

Circa 1767 Boulton who needed a way of improving the power supply for his machinery met James Watt who saw the benefits to the development of his steam engine in the Soho Manufactory. Since Watt's partner, Dr John Roebuck, owed Boulton a considerable sum of money Boulton took a share in Watt's steam engine patent and three years later they formed a partnership. Largely through Boulton's efforts Watt's steam engine was a success and in addition to being employed in mines, after some adaptation, was to be found in Richard Arkwright's cotton mills as well as various other factories. In 1800 both Boulton and Watt retired passing on the business to their sons. Boulton died on 17th August 1809 with this year marking 200 years since his death.

James Watt born in 1736 was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer who improved the steam engine bringing about the resulting Industrial Revolution.

At 18 when Watt's mother died and his father became ill Watt went to London to study instrument-making. After a year he came back to Glasgow to set up his own instrument-making business but because he had not served at least seven years as an apprentice the Glasgow Guild of Hammermen turned down his application. Three professors at the University of Glasgow however offered Watt the chance to set up his own workshop in the university. Four years later Watt was experimenting with steam and after a failed attempt at building a steam engine he learned that the University had a model Newcomen engine which was returned from London and in 1763 he repaired it. It did not work very well but after many experiments where a vacuum in the condenser was created which then sucked the steam from the cylinder he had a working model by 1765.

In order to produce a full-scale engine Watt needed more capital which came from John Roebuck with whom he had formed a partnership. Unfortunately Roebuck went bankrupt and it was then Matthew Boulton (see above) who acquired the patent rights. Watt and Boulton formed a very successful partnership which gave rise in 1776 to the first commercially viable engines which to begin with were installed in mines to pump out water. Boulton advised Watt to change the motion of the piston to produce power for grinding, weaving and milling which over the next six years Watt implemented along with many other changes and improvements. In 1794 the two men established Boulton and Watt to exclusively manufacture steam engines which subsequently powered the ensuing Industrial Revolution.

2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Feature Part 2
2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Feature Part 3
2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Feature Part 4
2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Postal Challenge
2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Technical Details
2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Postmarks
2009 Pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Competition