James Watt came down from Scotland at the invitation of Matthew Boulton in the late 18th century after Watt had made improvement's to Thomas Newcomen's steam engine. Boulton who owned the Soho Manufactory obtained a patent from 1775 onwards.

View feature View community

Boulton & Watt - the founding fathers of Birmingham!


Boulton & Watt - the founding fathers of Birmingham!


James Watt came down from Scotland at the invitation of Matthew Boulton in the late 18th century after Watt had made improvement's to Thomas Newcomen's steam engine. Boulton who owned the Soho Manufactory obtained a patent from 1775 onwards.


You can see one of Boulton & Watt's engines at Dartmouth Circus. Easier to see if you enter the subways and walk past it. But is visible from the road in cars or buses etc. It was built in 1817 and was used at the Netherton Ironworks.

dndimg alt="Boulton & Watt engine at Dartmouth Circus" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/bolton & watt engine.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Smethwick Engine is now located at the Thinktank science museum, it was made in 1779. It's the oldest working steam engine and the oldest working engine in the world. Originally located in Smethwick close to the Soho Foundry. It was previously at the Birmingham Museum of Science & Industry at the Newhall Street site in the Jewellery Quarter (now Newhall Square). Was moved to Thinktank from 2001.

dndimg alt="Smethwick Engine at Thinktank" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Smethwick Engine Thinktank.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The gold leaf covered statue of Boulton, Watt and Murdoch was by William Bloye. Unveiled at this site in 1956. But was planned from 1939 (before the Second World War). It was removed to storage in 2017, and will return to the other side of Broad Street at a new site in Centenary Square.

dndimg alt="Boulton, Watt & Murdoch on Broad Street" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Boulton Watt Murdoch 2009.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The statue of James Watt used to be in Chamberlain Square outside the now demolished Birmingham Central Library until it was removed to storage in 2015.

dndimg alt="James Watt statue Chamberlain Square" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/James Watt statue Chamberlain Square 2009.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Close up view of the James Watt statue. He seemed to have more sculptures of him than Mr Boulton did!

dndimg alt="James Watt statue in front of Birmingham Central Library" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/James Watt staute below BCL.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Boulton and Watt - there is a pair of busts of the pair in the Drawing Room at Soho House in Handsworth. It was the home of Boulton during the late 18th century.

Matthew Boulton

dndimg alt="Matthew Boulton bust at Soho House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Matthew Boulton Soho House.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

James Watt

dndimg alt="James Watt bust at Soho House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/James Watt Soho House.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Portaits at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

Matthew Boulton by Carl Frederick von Breda in 1792.

dndimg alt="Matthew Boulton portrait BMAG" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BMAG portrait Matthew Boulton.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

James Watt by Sir Thomas Lawrence in 1812.

dndimg alt="James Watt portrait BMAG" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BMAG portrait James Watt.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

This bust of James Watt was found at the Birmingham Museum Collections Centre. It is similar to the one found at Soho House (see above).

dndimg alt="James Watt bust at BMCC" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Watt bust BMCC.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

All photos taken by Elliott Brown