There are many notable scientists that have changed the world over the course of human history – from Galileo Galilei whose astronomical discoveries changed everything that we thought we knew about space, to Albert Einstein the famous physicist whose theories have been paving the way for so many that have come after him.
One scientist however that is not as well known by many, despite the huge scientific leaps he made is William George Armstrong. This British scientist was born in 1810 and was certainly a pioneer of his day.
A scientist and a businessman, he is known to be the father of hydraulics and without him, we may not have many modern pieces of equipment like this hydraulic power pack https://www.hydraproducts.co.uk/ which is crucial in farming, aerospace and manufacturing to name just a few!
As the industrial revolution swept through Britain, William George Armstrong, also a successful businessman got to work – he created the hydraulic powered machinery to operate Tower Bridge in London, as well as the swing bridge in Newcastle, his home city.
He was also a visionary, and the home that he built in Northumberland was the only one in the world to be powered solely by hydro-electricity – something that now would be a beneficial thing for us all to adapt as we struggle with the climate crisis.
He lived a long and successful life, passing away in Newcastle at the great age of 90, and as well as leaving his mark as a scientist, he was also a philanthropist, helping with the funding of seven new hospitals.
Contemporaries who shaped the industrial age
Armstrong was one of several British scientists and inventors whose work drove the Industrial Revolution, as people moved from agricultural work into towns and cities. Born in 1810, he became known as the father of hydraulics. His machines were in demand everywhere from factories to Tower Bridge, and modern hydraulic power systems used in manufacturing worldwide owe a great deal to his work.
James Watt, the Scottish inventor, is linked above all with the steam engine. He patented his improved design in the late 1700s, producing one of the defining machines of the era. He also worked as a surveyor, marking out routes in Scotland for the canals that carried goods to and from factories.
Michael Faraday was a chemist who studied electricity. He designed the electric motor and the dynamo and carried out important research into electromagnetic fields, work that James Clerk Maxwell later built on in his own research into electromagnetism.
The long history behind hydraulic power
Armstrong built on ideas that go back thousands of years. Nobody knows exactly where hydraulics began. There is evidence that the ancient Egyptians may have used it, but the word itself comes from Greek. The ancient Greeks were prolific inventors, and they are credited with the aeolipile, an early steam-powered device, so it is little surprise that hydraulic ideas developed there too.
The Romans took water engineering further, and their aqueducts remain some of the best-known examples of hydraulic engineering in the ancient world.
The science moved forward again during the 19th century, when Armstrong became one of the most important figures in hydraulic power. His work laid the foundations for much modern hydraulic machinery. As industry grew in Britain, hydraulic power played a large part in manufacturing and transport, and in America the California gold rush relied on hydraulic methods to wash gold from hillsides. Much of the hydraulic equipment used today can be traced back to Armstrong’s work.