British mechanical engineer Henry Maudslay (1771-1831), known as the father of the machine-tool industry, laid an important foundation for the Industrial Revolution by improving interchangeability and precision in tool-making. Maudslay also made many other advancements in engine design.

Maudslay was born in Woolwich, Kent, in the southeastern part of England, on August 22, 1771. His father was a mechanic at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, and by the age of 12 Maudslay was also working at the arsenal as a "powder monkey." His task was to fill cartridges with gunpowder. In just two years, he was promoted to the joiner's shop and then apprenticed as blacksmith in the metalworking shop.

At the age of 18, Maudslay, who had developed extraordinary skills, left the arsenal to work with Joseph Bramah, a pioneer in hydraulics and locksmith work. Bramah, the inventor of the first unpickable lock, soon noted Maudslay's talent and within a short...