Woolrich Electrical Generator

Woolrich Electrical Generator
The electrical generator at Thinktank
Origins
DesignerJohn Stephen Woolrich
MakerThomas Prime and Son
DateFebruary 1844; 180 years ago (1844-02)
Country of originEngland
Measurements
Preservation
CollectionBirmingham Museums Trust
LocationThinktank, Digbeth, Birmingham, England
Accession no.1889S00044

The Woolrich Electrical Generator, now in Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, England, is the earliest electrical generator used in an industrial process.[1] Built in February 1844 at the Magneto Works of Thomas Prime and Son, Birmingham,[2][3] to a design by John Stephen Woolrich (1820–1850), it was used by the firm of Elkingtons for commercial electroplating.[4][5][6]

  1. ^ Birmingham Museums trust catalogue, accession number: 1889S00044
  2. ^ "Birmingham Stories : Our Collection : Manufacture". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  3. ^ Inkster, Ian (2012). History of Technology, Volume 31. ISBN 9781441126771. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  4. ^ Thomas, John Meurig (1991). Michael Faraday and the Royal Institution: The Genius of Man and Place. Bristol: Hilger. p. 51. ISBN 0750301457.
  5. ^ Beauchamp, K G (1997). Exhibiting Electricity. IET. p. 90. ISBN 9780852968956.
  6. ^ Hunt, L. B. (March 1973). "The early history of gold plating". Gold Bulletin. 6 (1): 16–27. doi:10.1007/BF03215178.