Tagged with Technology

Resource : The Iron Bridge

This large bridge, at Ironbridge in Shropshire, was the first arch bridge made of iron anywhere in the world. It was built to replace an unreliable ferry service across the River Severn. Opened on New Year’s Day, 1781, it was so successful that it gave its name to the local area.

Resource : Pneumatic tyre – Brougham Carriage

The pneumatic tyre was developed to help transform road travel and make journeys more comfortable, while reducing damage to vehicles. Its emergence can be credited to two different Scottish inventors – first Robert Thomson in the 1840s, who patented the tyre, and later John Boyd Dunlop some 40 years after, whose designs led to improvements for bicycles and later cars.

Resource : Newcomen Beam Engine

The atmospheric engine was invented by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. It was the first machine to be powered by steam and was largely used to pump water out of mines. Hundreds of these engines were made and used all over Britain and Europe in the 1700s. They became known simply as the Newcomen Engine and helped pave the way for the Industrial revolution.

Resource : Train ticket: Liverpool to Warrington

The advent of steam hauled railways in the 1820s quickly revolutionised passenger travel and the transport of goods across Britain and the wider world. This is an early train ticket for a journey from Liverpool to Warrington.

Resource : John McAdam’s snuff box

John McAdam revolutionised road travel in the 1800s, through his ‘Macadamisation’ method. The greatest advance in road construction since Roman times, his principles are still applied to road building today.

Resource : Crompton’s spinning mule

The spinning mule was invented by Samuel Crompton in 1779. It revolutionised textile production by vastly increasing the amount of cotton that could be spun at any one time. But this also meant textile manufacturers no longer needed to pay individual spinners to create spindles (wooden rods) wound with cotton thread, as just one operator could now use the machine to spin hundreds of spindles at once.

Resource : Daguerrotype of Boulevard due Temple

Created in 1838 by inventor Louis Daguerre, this is thought to be the first ‘photograph’ of a person. The image shows a street scene from the Boulevard du Temple in Paris. In the bottom left hand corner, is a small figure – a man having his shoes shined.

Resource : Forth and Clyde Canal steamboat: Charlotte Dundas

Britain’s canal system was a relatively short lived, but nevertheless important revolution in transport. Canals were an essential part of the Industrial Revolution and spawned Britain’s first successful steamboat, the Charlotte Dundas.

Resource : Stephenson’s Rocket heads back up north to Manchester

June 13, 2018 - Richard Moss

Stephenson’s Rocket will return to Manchester for the first time in over 180 years in September 2018.

Resource : Jeremy Bentham’s papers digitised online

June 13, 2018 - Richard Moss

The central collection of the papers of Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), the English philosopher whose ideas influenced prison reform, religion, poor relief, international law and even animal welfare during the Age of Revolution and beyond, have now been completely digitised.