Thomas Newcomen

1663-1729. Somehow connected with steam engines.

Life

Thomas Newcomen was christened at St Saviour’s Church in Dartmouth on 24 February 1663 and died in 1729. He was probably born at the house on Dartmouth Quay in late January or early February in 1663. There are no positive details of his education (Rolt 33). However, John Flavell, a friend of his father Elias Newcomen, was probably the educator of young Thomas Newcomen. Around 1685, Newcomen established himself in business as an ironmonger at his hometown Dartmounth. In 1705, when he was 42 years old he married Hannath Waymouth, who was the daughter of the farmer Peter Waymouth from Malborough near Kingsbridge. They had two sons and a daughter.

The First Engine

The first fire engine was built by Thomas Newcomen in 1712. This engine was installed at Dudley Castle in Staffordshire. In this engine, there is a cylinder measuring 21 inches in diameter and 7 feet 10 inches high. The boiler was designed 5 feet 6 inches in diameter and around 6 feet high. It can hold a volume of 673 gallons of water. The machine worked at 12 strokes per minute and delivered 10 gallons from a depth of 156 feet, which equals about 5.5 horse powers. (Rolt 46)

References

Rolt, Allen (1977). The Steam Engine of Thomas Newcomen. Published in Great Britain by Moorland Publishing Company, The Market Place, Hartington, Buxton, Derbys, SK17 0AL. Science History Publications/USA, New York - 1977.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/newcomen_thomas.shtml