Matthew Boulton, English Manufacturer

Matthew Boulton (September 3, 1728 - August 17, 1809) was an English manufacturer and business partner of Scottish engineer James Watt. He was the son of a Birmingham manufacturer of small metal products who died when Boulton was 31. He managed and expanded the business, adopted the latest techniques, and branched into silver plate, ormolu and other decorative arts. When Watt's business partner, John Roebuck, was unable to pay a debt to Boulton, he accepted Roebuck's share of Watt's patent as settlement. He lobbied Parliament to extend Watt's patent for an additional 17 years, enabling the firm to market Watt's steam engine. The firm installed hundreds of Boulton and Watt steam engines in Britain and abroad. Boulton was a key member of the Lunar Society, a group of men prominent in the arts, sciences, and theology who have been credited for developing concepts and techniques in science, agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transport that laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution. Boulton also founded the Soho Mint, to which he soon adapted steam power. He sought to improve the poor state of Britain's coinage, and after several years of effort obtained a contract in 1797 to produce the first British copper coinage in a quarter century. His cartwheel pieces were well designed and difficult to counterfeit, and included the first striking of the large copper British penny. He retired in 1800, though continuing to run his mint, and died in 1809 at the age of 80

Picture No

12698398

Media ID

48540271

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3000px x 3981px (6.4MB)

Credit

Science Source/Mary Evans