1812-1878

Kirkpatrick Macmillan was a Scottish blacksmith who is credited with having created the first rear-wheel driven bicycle.

Kirkpatrick Macmillan was born on the 2nd of September, 1812, in Keir, in Dumfries and Galloway. He did not follow any academic pursuit and instead took on a number of small jobs. This eventually led to him working with his father in his blacksmith workshop in 1824.

It is said that Kirkpatrick Macmillan had his inspiration for a bicycle when he saw a child on a toy horse running past his workshop. After deciding to build one for himself, he realized that this design could be refined if he were able to propel it without touching the ground. After years of designing, refining and working on this hobby he completed it in 1839.

The bicycle created by Kirkpatrick Macmillan was a far cry from the modern bicycle in everything but base concept. The pedals, while still powering the rear wheel, were connected via a set of metal rods and levers. Although revolutionary this method took significant physical effort to use, perhaps why the design was not further utilized.
Incidentally, Kirkpatrick Macmillan was also one of the first people to receive a speeding related fine while on a bicycle. On a test run of his design, Kirkpatrick Macmillan caused slight injury to a small girl, while travelling at an estimated eight miles per hour.

1888-1946

John Logie Baird was the creator of the world’s first television system.

John Logie Baird was born on the 13th of August, 1888, in Helensburg, Argyll, Scotland. He received his education at Larchfield Academy, the Glasgow and West Scotland Technical College and the University of Glasgow. Unfortunately, his education was cut short by World War I, after the completion of which he never returned to graduate from the university.

While John Logie Baird was not the first person to have the idea of a television, nor the first to try and create one, he is credited as the first person to have succeeded in the task. John Logie Baird managed to transmit a live, moving feed in black and white, a feat unaccomplished at that time. This was soon refined as to easily be able to transmit silhouette images. This led to the first public demonstration of television on the 25th of March, 1925.

In 1927 John Logie Baird managed to amass enough interest and support in his invention that a 438 mile long cable was placed between London and Glasgow, for him to transmit images. In 1928, this was expanded to a trans-atlantic line, stretching from New York to London.

In later years John Logie Baird also demonstrated the first large sized “theater” screen. Along with a cathode-ray tube television and a very early model of a video recording device, which he dubbed “phono-vision”

John Logie Baird died on the 14th of June 1946.

1811-1877

Alexander Bain was a Scottish inventor and is credited with being the inventor of the first fax machine.

Alexander Bain was born in the October of 1811, in Watten, Caithness, Scotland. Seeing as how he was the son of a crofter, had an additional eleven siblings, one of who was a twin, he was not raised in the most luxurious lifestyle. Unlike many of his Scottish Enlightenment contemporaries he did not excel at mathematics, nor did he attend university. Instead, he became an apprentice clock maker in Wick.

Upon the completion of his apprenticeship in 1837, Alexander Bain received the title of journeyman and traveled to London and found employment. He eventually established his own workshop, although this never came into fruition as a strong money earner.

The real windfall for Alexander Bain came in 1840, after showing his inventions to Sir Charles Wheatstone. Although this happened indirectly, as Charles Wheatstone soon display inventions of a very similar nature. After some legal wrangling, Charles Wheatstone was ordered to pay Alexander Bain a total of ₤10,000.

In 1843 Alexander Bain applied for a patent on a precursor to the modern facsimile machine. The model did not enjoy any great economic success, but did spark a strong interest in the subject and inspired the creation of the more successful version by Fredrick Bakewell.

In 1846 Alexander Bain patented what he called a “chemical telegraph”. Based on a similar principal to a telegraph, it sent messages via electricity, but through the use of a chemical agent as opposed to a mechanical device, it was able to attain speed of 282 words in 52 seconds, as opposed to the 40 words per minute of a traditional telegraph system. Although technically superior, the chemical telegraph was only ever employed on a line from Paris to Lille as Samuel Morse opposed the system, claiming it infringed on his patents.

Alexander Bain died on the 2nd of January, 1877, in Broomhill, Kirkintilloch, Scotland.

1754-1839

William Murdoch was a Scottish inventor, mostly commonly credited as the inventor of gas lighting.

William Murdoch was born on the 21st of August, 1754 in Cumnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. He was educated at the Old Cumnock Kirk School and the Auchinleck School. His father who at this time was a millwright was responsible for the other half of his education, although not formal it proved to be just as valuable as that learned in school. It is said that William Murdoch developed his mechanical and engineering aptitude by observing his father work.

Records of William Murdoch are scarce and fail to confirm or deny a number of myths and rumors that surround his name. It is said that by the age of twenty three, he had already been involved in the construction of thirty bridges crossing the River Nith. Further, some believe that he had already begun experimentation on coal gas with rudimentary equipment. While at the age of twenty three he is believed to have walked over 480 kilometers to ask for James Watt for a job. Some accounts claim that this determination impressed James Watt and he was granted a job. Other accounts claim that James Watt was impressed by a wooden hat that William Murdoch had created on a home-made lathe, and subsequently granted him a job.

By all accounts this opportunity led William Murdoch well into his chosen career of steam engine erecting with Boulton and Watt. Further, various records show that William Murdoch not only succeeded but excelled at this profession.

William Murdoch succeeded in creating gas lighting sometime in 1794. This came through a combination of scientific curiosity and the necessity to have his home light at night without the use of oil.

James Watt - developer of the steam engine.

1736 - 1819

Throughout time, many great people could be found in Scotland. During the Scottish Enlightenment this held all the truer. One such man was James Watt, who played a vital role in the development of the steam engine.

James Watt was born in Greenock, in 1736. His father James Watt was a skilled craftsman and an influential figure in the town. Due to poor health, James Watt was taught at home.

James Watt did not attend any formal learning institutions like other famous Scots, but he did excel at mathematics and craftsmanship. Roughly at the same time James Watt’s mother died, his father’s money began to decline. James Watt decided to begin an apprenticeship in London, but his poor health affected him yet again, and he returned to Scotland in less then a year. The requirement for the apprenticeship was of seven years of training, and James Watt was denied by the Guild of Hammermen in Glasgow, meaning James Watt could not work as a professional tradesman.

He took a job as an instrument maker at Glasgow University. This position, allowed James Watt to make connections in the intellectual community, and expand his skills and knowledge. Some of his work revolved around steam engines, which would be his claim to fame in the future.

While still at the University of Glasgow, James Watt had an idea which would place him amongst other famous Scots. His idea revolved around an improvement to the conventional steam engine of the time, namely the addition of a condenser to a Newcomem steam engine, which would not waste the steam by expelling it. In fact, there is still a memorial at the spot in Glasgow Green, where James Watt had this idea.

James Watt was placed in charge of building of prototype of his new engine type, with John Roebuck from Carron Ironworks as a manufacturer. While the engine was being built, James Watt worked as a surveyor on the building site of Monklands Canal in Lanarkshire. Unfortunately, this job for James Watt was accompanied with the death of his wife, and the bankruptcy of his engine’s manufacturer. The manufacturing rights were brought by Mathew Boulton from Birmingham.

Once the engine was released, it became a large success. So much so that, Peter the Great of Russia offered James Watt a job at a salary of ₤1000 per year (he declined). The engines, came to be used in many mines around the Scotland, this was obviously a success, but brought worry to James Watt. He was quoted as saying “I am plagued by the blues; my head is too confused to do any brainwork”. He was referring to the mine captains who used his engine, but did not pay royalties. As an answer to his problem, William Murdoch joined James Watt in his steam engine business, and took care of the problem of the mine captains. Furthermore, William Murdoch refined the engine further, improving its efficiency.

By this time James Watt, was considerably wealthy, and decided to spend his time travelling. James Watt socialized with other famous Scots, like Sir Walter Scott and Andrew Carnegie. Later in his life, many honours were given to James Watt, most notably the naming of a unit of power after him, the Watt.