Siemens, Charles William, Sir
1823 - Born on April 4th in Lenthe, Prussia (now in Germany). German-born English engineer and inventor, important in the development of the steel and telegraph industries.
- Financed by his uncle, he then studied chemistry, physics, and mathematics for a year at the University of Göttingen, where his brother-in-law was a professor of chemistry.
1843 - William traveled to London, arriving in March with only a few pounds in cash.
- He sold the process to Elkingtons of Birmingham for £1,600. He returned to Germany to complete his studies.
1844 - Went again to England in February with the intention of selling further inventions.
1847 - William and his brother Friedrich had attempted to apply to industrial processes the regenerative principle, by which heat escaping with waste gases was captured to heat the air supplied to a furnace, thus increasing efficiency.
1851 - His invention, the water meter, began to earn large royalties.
1859 - Married to Anne Gordon, the sister of an engineering professor at the University of Glasgow.
- He also received British citizenship.
1861 - William used this principle in his patent for the open-hearth furnace that was heated by gas produced by low-grade coal outside the furnace.
1883 - Died on November 18th in London, England.
- Financed by his uncle, he then studied chemistry, physics, and mathematics for a year at the University of Göttingen, where his brother-in-law was a professor of chemistry.
1843 - William traveled to London, arriving in March with only a few pounds in cash.
- He sold the process to Elkingtons of Birmingham for £1,600. He returned to Germany to complete his studies.
1844 - Went again to England in February with the intention of selling further inventions.
1847 - William and his brother Friedrich had attempted to apply to industrial processes the regenerative principle, by which heat escaping with waste gases was captured to heat the air supplied to a furnace, thus increasing efficiency.
1851 - His invention, the water meter, began to earn large royalties.
1859 - Married to Anne Gordon, the sister of an engineering professor at the University of Glasgow.
- He also received British citizenship.
1861 - William used this principle in his patent for the open-hearth furnace that was heated by gas produced by low-grade coal outside the furnace.
1883 - Died on November 18th in London, England.
Page last updated: 10:52pm, 16th Aug '07
