Alan Archibald Campbell Swinton
Alan Archibald Campbell Swinton (1863–1930), electrical engineer
1863 born in Edinburgh, on 18 October, the third son of Archibald Campbell Swinton, professor of civil law in the University of Edinburgh, and his wife, Georgiana Caroline (nee Sitwell)
1878 Attended Fettes College, Edinburgh.
1881 went to Le Havre to study French and mathematics, and visited the Paris Exhibition, where he was deeply impressed by the electrical inventions seen there.
1882 Started apprenticeship in Armstrong's engineering works at Elswick-on-Tyne.
1883 Published a book, "The Principles and Practice of Electric Lighting". Introduced lead-covered wires and cables for electric wiring in ships.
1887 Moved to London and set up as an electrical contractor and consulting engineer. Carried out electric lighting installations in many country houses, and was connected with several of the earliest electric supply companies (especially those which employed steam turbines) including the Scarborough Electric Supply Co and the Cambridge Electric Supply Co, of which he became managing director.
Became chairman of Crompton and Co
1896 Took first photograph produced by X-rays in England, within a month of the announcement of Röntgen's discovery, and continued to work with X-rays.
1896 Introduced Guglielmo Marconi to William Henry Preece, engineer-in-chief of the Post Office, which led to deployment of radio telegraphy
Assisted Charles Parsons with the early development of the steam turbine and with the construction of the turbine ship Turbinia; he was a director of Parsons's company.
1904 ended the contracting part of the business.
1908 Published his ideas for the use of cathode ray tubes to transmit and display pictures.
Post WWI: Advised BBC engineers against using John Logie Baird's television system
1930 Died in London
See Also
Sources of Information
- Biography, ODNB