Scottish Engineer finds success in Birmingham
James Watt - man of steam
After many unsuccessful attempts in Scotland, James Watt moves to Birmingham, 17th May 1774, and develops and manufactures his world-famous steam engine.
Like many other inventors, James Watt had difficulty in transferring his ideas and therories into practice. At the age of 38, after many despairing attempts to make his replacement steam engine work, he was delighted to find that his new work colleague, Matthew Boulton, had mananged to fix the problem within three weeks.
The result was that he lived the rest of his life in Birmingham (45 years) and was still working on a new development of the engine when he died in 1803 at Heathfield House, Handsworth. He was buried alongside his colleagues, Matthew Boulton and William Murdock, in St Mary's Church, Handsworth, Birmingham.
Submitted by: Peter Gallant, 03 March 2003
