1754-1839

Scottish Inventor

Scottish inventor William Murdock was a pioneer in the use of coal gas for lighting and made significant advances in the use of steam power. He was one of the first people in the world to use coal gas for lighting his home, and his invention of this technology was a very important step in helping people to light their homes, workplaces, and streets after dark.

William Murdock was born in Scotland in 1754. Little is known of his childhood, but it is known that, at age 23, he joined the engineering firm owned by James Watt (1736-1819) and Matthew Boulton (1728-1809). Two years later, in 1779, he helped supervise the construction of one of Watt's first steam engines, and by 1784 he was experimenting with an oscillating steam engine, the first of its kind built.

Murdock's experiments continued, and he built a steam-powered carriage in 1786, although...