James Watt - Birmingham, UK - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

James Watt (1736 – 1819) was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both Britain and the world.

The statue of Watt depicts him in a relaxed pose holding a pair of upturned compasses in his right hand with his left resting upon the cylinder of the steam engine.

The statue was paid for solely by public subscriptions. It was unveiled on Oct 2nd 1868 and attracted a large crowd. It originally stood outside the Central Free Library until it was demolished in 1973 and was placed at its present location in 1980.

The Watt steam engine was the first type of steam engine to make use of steam at a pressure just above atmospheric to drive the piston helped by a partial vacuum. Improving on the design of the 1712 Newcomen engine, the Watt steam engine, developed sporadically from 1763 to 1775, was the next great step in the development of the steam engine. Offering a dramatic increase in fuel efficiency, the new design replaced Newcomen engines in areas where coal was expensive, and then went on to be used in the place of most natural power sources such as wind and water. James Watt's design became synonymous with steam engines, due in no small part to his business partner, Matthew Boulton.

The partnership was formed in 1775 to exploit Watt's patent for a steam engine with a separate condenser. This made much more efficient use of its fuel than the older Newcomen engine. Initially the business was based at the Soho Manufactory near Boulton's Soho House on the southern edge of the then-rural parish of Handsworth. However most of the components for their engines were made by others, for example the cylinders by John Wilkinson.

In 1795, they began to make steam engines themselves at their Soho Foundry in Smethwick, near Birmingham, England. The partnership was passed to two of their sons in 1800. The firm lasted over 120 years, and was still making steam engines, a few of which are preserved, in 1895.

Watt was buried in the grounds of St. Mary's Church, Handsworth, in Birmingham. Later expansion of the church, over his grave, means that his tomb is now buried inside the church


Alexander Munro (1825-1871) – the sculptor:-

Son of a stone mason, the talented Alexander Munro was noticed by his father’s wealthy employer, the Duchess of Sutherland, and brought to London in 1848 to study sculpture under Charles Barry. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1849-70, and in the Great Exhibition of 1851. Munro became a specialist in portrait sculpture, and in statues of children. He was close to the Pre-Raphaelites. His works in London include the fountains in Berkeley Square and by Hyde Park Corner (Boy and Dolphin). In Birmingham is a statue of James Watt (1866) and, in the Museum, The Sleeping Child, one of his Great Exhibition works. In Oxford there is a medallion of Millais at the Ashmolean, and apparently architectural statuary on the University Museum

URL of the statue: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   06/12/2014 Alancache visited it 05/16/2013 uklifesaver visited it 08/27/2012 reelcutter visited it 01/16/2012 africola visited it 09/19/2010 Zork V visited it 04/07/2009 mumbo jumbo visited it 02/27/2009 Stokesy visited it 01/20/2009 Sir Lose-a-lot visited it

View all visits/logs