John Muirhead, Senior
John Muirhead (1807-1885), at one time a farmer and tenant of the historical Barley Mill at East Saltoun, later a leading participant in the roll-out of telegraph cables internationally.
1807 Born in Haddingtonshire.
Married Margaret Lauder.
1846 Birth of son John Muirhead
He had mechanical aptitudes and gave up farming
c.1846 With his brother Henry Muirhead and Josiah Latimer Clark became an assistant to Edwin Clark on the Britannia Bridge and the Conway Tubular Bridge
1848 Birth of second son, Alexander Muirhead
1851 John Muirhead 43, lived at Salton Mill, with Margaret 36, John Muirhead 5, Alexander Muirhead 3[1]
Moved his family to London, where he became a telegraph engineer, following Edwin Clark to the Electric Telegraph Company
By 1857 was working for the Electric Telegraph Co as superintendent.
1861 Electric telegraph superintendent, living in the district of Regents Park, London, John Muirhead 53, Margaret Muirhead 46, John Muirhead 15, Alexander Muirhead 12, Agnes L Muirhead 9, Henry J Muirhead 6, Francis L Muirhead 4, Ann Muirhead 16[2]
1870 After the transfer of the Cable Co to the Post Office, Muirhead left the company
Later became a member of Latimer Clark, Muirhead and Co.
Introduced the Muirhead accumulator
1879 Retired from Latimer Clark, Muirhead and Co
1881 John Muirhead 73 , telegraph engineer, of Norwood, Margaret Muirhead 56, Alexdr. Muirhead 32, telegraph engineer and doctor of science, London University, Henry Muirhead 36, Francis L. Muirhead 24[3]
1885 Died in Upper Norwood[4]
See Also
Sources of Information
- The Times, Sep 26, 1885