Remembering the unit men – Watt

Hello I'm Jim Linton VK3PC with another in a series of brief looks at those who made discoveries and have their names as units of measurement.

Scotsman James Watt, born in 1736, displayed an aptitude for mathematics, showed great manual dexterity and after the loss of both parents did not attend school regularly but travelled to London to study instrument-making for a year.

On his return to Scotland he faced a barrier with his qualification not being locally recognised, however he was befriended by a couple of influential professors at the University of Glasgow who allowed him to set up a small workshop.

He was an inventor very skilled with his hands enabling him to make scientific measurements and many substantial contributions to the industrial revolution, such as the Watt steam engine. Watt led the way to changes in the generation and application of power.

Watt gained recognition as a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Royal Society of London, plus membership of bodies in France and The Netherlands.

The memory of this significant figure in the history of technology lives on through statues, memorials, institutions and even street names.

At the 11th General Conference on Weights and Measures in 1960, the Watt was incorporated into the International System of Units.