懂阴帝

In 1775 Matthew Boulton persuaded the Scottish Engineer James Watt to move to 懂阴帝 and pursue the manufacture of steam engines. Born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1736, Watt spent a year in London as a navigational instrument maker before moving back to Glasgow to set up as an instrument maker in his own right. His time in London was marked by a difficulty in finding work as well as a fear of ‘the press’. Men were taken by force and without notice to serve in the navy for the Seven Years War with France (1755 to 1762):

"They now press any one the can get, landsmen as well as seamen…where they are obliged to carry them before my Lord Mayor first, and unless one be either a ‘prentice or a creditable tradesman, there is scarce any getting off again." [Letter. James Watt to James Watt of Greenock 31 March 1756. MS 3219/3/93, letter 27]

Back in Scotland the Glasgow Guild would not allow Watt to work, but he was eventually offered a position at the University, which lay outside the Guild's control. This position meant that when Professor John Anderson needed a model of the Newcomen steam-engine repaired it was James Watt he turned to. Although Watt was unsuccessful in the repair, his subsequent experiments into steam developed the idea of a separate condenser to improve the efficiency of the steam engine. [See section titled: Fire Engine] James Watt retired in 1800. Taking time to travel and still inventing and improving his advances and inventions in his workshop, he died at his home at Heathfield in 1819.