Scottish Blog

James Bowman Lindsay - electrical pioneer

(1799- 1862)

James Bowman Lindsay was a Scot, an inventor and a pioneer in the field of electricity. Unfortunately, his works have never reached the prominence of other Scots like William Wallace or Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

James Lindsay Bowman was born on 8 September 1799, in the village of Carmylie. Born to farm worker parents, James Bowman Lindsay became an apprentice to a handloom linen weaver. His intellect became apparent as he grew older. Subsequently his parents decided to send him to university. He was enrolled in St Andrews University of Fife in 1821 and completed courses in mathematics and physics along with theology.

In 1829 he took a position as Lecturer of Science and Mathematics at the James Watt institution in Dundee. He also gave courses and lectures on frictional, galvanic and voltaic electricity.

It was at this point in his life that James Bowman Lindsay began researching and working on the inventions which would be his contribution to the field.

The first was constant electric lighting, which he demonstrated in 1835. It is believed that James Bowman Lindsay is the first to invent something to serve this purpose. Unlike the design patented by Thomas Edison (the same we use today), James Bowman Lindsay’s idea was not a light bulb and it worked equally well in air or a vacuum.

A demonstration of this electric lighting system was given in Thistle Hall in Dundee later that year. In fact it was reported in the local newspaper, demonstrating its validity.

“Mr. Lindsay, a teacher in town, succeeded on the evening of Saturday, July 25th in obtaining a constant electric light… The lights in beauty surpasses all others, has no smell, emits no smoke, is incapable of explosion and, not requiring air for combustion, can be kept in a sealed glass jar… it can be sent to ant convenient distance and the apparatus for producing it can be contained in a common chest.”

Later on, in 1854 James Bowman Lindsay patented a system by which wireless telegram could be sent through water. It was demonstrated and proved to work by sending a message across the River Tay. It was earlier shown to his class in 1832. His system had technical flaws which would make it infeasible for use at that time.

The main purpose behind such an invention was for transatlantic communication. James Bowman Lindsay had another idea which could aid this purpose by making it easier to lay a cable down between the continents, it became known as Arc welding.

Once reaching this scientific frontier, James Bowman Lindsay indulged himself in his love for theology. He began writing his Pentacontaglossal Dictionary, which he published before his death.

In 1858, he was recognized for his achievements by Queen Victoria and given a ₤100 per year pension, he died for years later.

The histories of men such as James Bowman Lindsay are not only interesting, but also important to remember as they truth and stories of histories more obscured figures. In this case, this story is also important for the simple fact that James Bowman Lindsay was a Scot, and we at Scottish Heirloom Jewelry love it when a Scot comes out on top.