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Thomas Newcomen was an ironmonger. His customers wanted a way to stop flooding in their mines. So, he developed the previous pump invention by Thomas Savery in 1698. To avoid infringement from Savery's patent Newcomen began a partnership with him.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/newcomen_thomas.shtml -
The Duke of Bridgewater had the canal built to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to the big market in Manchester. James Brindley was the engineer hired.
http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/history/ -
It is said that Stanhill weaver James Hargreaves was given the idea for the spinning jenny when his daughter (Jenny) accidentally knocked over the family spinning wheel and the spindle continued to revolve. Hargreaves hypothesised that a whole line of spindles could be worked off one wheel.
http://spartacus-educational.com/TEXjenny.htm -
The Bridgewater canal was expanded in 1772
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The Grand Trunk Canal was constructed to link the River Mersey to the River Trent. It consisted of more than 70 locks and five tunnels.
http://www.burton-on-trent.org.uk/category/amenities/grand-trunk-canal -
The Thames-Severn Canal is over 45.1km in length, branching into Cirencester.
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Safety lamps were invented for miners by Sir Humphry Davy and George Stephenson.
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The Berkeley Ship Canal was opened in 1827. It ran between Gloucester and Berkeley.
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The first message by telegraph was sent in 1837 by Samuel Soemmering.
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The telephone was invented in 1876 by Scotsman Alexander Graham Bell.
