Expatriate British Engineers in the Industrial Revolution

Introduction

Many countries were keen to adopt technology developed in Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution. Buying machinery, or gaining knowledge of designs and techniques, was often not sufficient to make progress, and there was a demand for the direct involvement of experienced engineers and other workers.

For a time, British government policy was firmly against such transfer of technology, discouraging emigration of skilled workers and banning the export of machinery and information. Many British industrialists disagreed with this policy, partly because it limited the market for their products, and partly because other countries would be encouraged to make strenuous efforts to develop their own machinery, and become competitors.

For the present purposes, the period of interest is up to the 1850s.

People and Companies

Allcard, Buddicom and Co of France - Railway equipment

Michael Alcock (1714-1785) of France

Charles Brown (1827-1896) of Switzerland

Job Dixon of France, Belgium and Holland

James Edward Earnshaw of Germany

Hall, Powell and Scott of Rouen

John Holker of Rouen

Samuel Owen of Sweden

William Richards (Hettstedt)

William Richards (1816-1893) Spain - gas industry

Thomas Scott (Rouen)

John Steele of Rouen

Samuel Slater USA - Textile production

See Also

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