Matthew Boulton - Engineering Pioneer
Potted History of Matthew Boulton
Why is a college named after Matthew Boulton?
Who was this man and why was he important to Birmingham?
Matthew Boulton, the son of a silver-stamper, was born in Birmingham in 1728. In 1762 Matthew Boulton opened Soho Manufactory at a cost of ??10,000. It was the biggest factory in the world and put Handsworth at the centre of the industrial revolution. In 1775 Boulton went into partnership with James Watt - Watt being taken on board to develop steam engine production, while Boulton concentrated on the company's other products such as Coins and Tokens, Ormolu and Silver Plate. Steam engine production expanded rapidly and the firm set up offices in Cornwall where demand was heavy from the tin and copper mines.
In 1786 Boulton applied steam power to coining machines. So successful was the process that as well as his supplying the home market, he produced coins for foreign governments as well. Matthew Boulton died in 1809.
Submitted by: Peter Gallant, 01 March 2003
