James Watt
James Watt
Portrait of Watt (1736–1819)by Carl Frederik von Breda
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a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist who improved on Thomas Newcomen's Newcomen steam engine, which was fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution
Born
19 January 1736 Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died
25 August 1819 (aged 83) Handsworth, Birmingham, England
Nationality
Scottish
Known for
Watt steam engine Separate condenser Parallel motion Sun and planet gear (with William Murdoch ) Centrifugal governor Indicator diagram (with John Southern )
Fields
mechanical engineering
Institutions
University of Glasgow Boulton and Watt
Spouse(s)
Margaret Miller (m. 1764–1773 her death) Anne McGrigor (m. 1776–1819 his death)
adultbasic
Britain
Children
Margaret (1767–1796) James (1769–1848) Gregory (1777–1804) Janet (Jessy; 1779–1794)
Citizenship
British
era
1600-1800
Influences
Thomas Newcomen Joseph Black Adam Smith John Robison (physicist) John Roebuck James Keir
Resting place
St. Mary's Church, Handsworth