Frederick Albert Winsor (1763-1830)
Frederick Albert Winsor (1763–1830), gas engineer and entrepreneur
1763 Born in Brunswick, Germany, as Friedrich Albrecht Winzer.
1797 Birth in Vienna of his son Frederick Albert Winsor
Before 1799 arrived in England.
1802 Whilst in Frankfurt, learned of the thermolampes demonstrated in Paris in 1786 by Philippe Lebon. Went to Paris; tried but failed to buy a thermolampe. Instead had one made for demonstration.
1803 he returned to England and tried to attract interest.
1804 Obtained a patent for gas-making apparatus.
1804 Arranged a series of public lectures at the Lyceum Theatre; acquired premises for gas manufacture in Mayfair.
1806 relocated to 97 Pall Mall
1807 Public demonstrations of gas lighting on the walls of Carlton House and in Pall Mall. Issued a prospectus for the New Patriotic Imperial and National Light and Heat Co but was publicly ridiculed by Walter Scott and Humphry Davy.
Winsor recognized that the future of gas was in central generation, with distribution to customers through a network of mains.
1807 A group of investors led by James Ludovic Grant petitioned for an Act of Parliament to launch a public venture but was not successful.
1810 A second attempt was successful although stringent conditions were attached. On 9 June the Gas Light and Coke Co was formally established, with Grant as its first governor.
By 1815 30 miles of gas main had been laid in London but Winsor had been ousted from the Gas Light and Coke Co
1815 he went to Paris and founded a small gas company there.
1830 May 11th. Died in Paris
See Also
Sources of Information
- Biography, ODNB [1]