John Harrison
(03 April 1693 To 24 March 1776)
John Harrison, considered to be one of the greatest clockmakers from
England, was the inventor of the marine chronometer, a device that helps
to establish the longitude of a ship at sea and makes long distance sea
travel safer. His invention marked a landmark in sea travel and
revolutionized the way sailors had been sailing on the seas previously.
The problem of accurately establishing the longitude was so acute that
the British Parliament announced an award of ₤20,000 to whosoever would
come up with a practical solution. The son of a carpenter with a deep
fascination for clocks, Harrison set out to solve the problem. He worked
hard for several years designing numerous models of clocks. Several of
his clocks were tested with favorable results by the Royal Society
though none of his initial models fitted the requirements necessary to
win the prize. After working, re-working and improvising his clock
models for almost three decades, he came up with an appropriate
solution—a marine watch that could successfully measure the longitude
during sea travel. The uneducated carpenter was successful in solving a
major problem of sea faring even before scientists and astronomers could
come up with a solution. By designing the accurate marine chronometer,
Harrison had come up with a solution for one of the most puzzling
technological problems of the 18th century.
Major Work
- He invented the marine chronometer—a clock that precisely determines longitude by means of celestial navigation. It was a major technological development of the 18th century that took him more than three decades of hard work to achieve.
Awards & Achievements
- He was never awarded the official Longitude Prize of £20,000 though he was paid £10,000 and £8,750 in separate installments. He was also awarded several grants by the Board of Longitude for continuing his work till the development of the H5.
Personal Life & Legacy
- He married Elizabeth Barrel in 1718. They had a son. His wife died in 1726.
- His second marriage was with a woman, also named Elizabeth. This marriage lasted 50 years and produced two children. His son William assisted his father in designing and developing clocks and watches.
- He died on his 83rd birthday in 1776.
