Samuel Owen
Encyclopedia
Samuel Owen, born 12 May 1774 in Norton in Hales
, Shropshire
, England, died 15 February 1854 in Stockholm, was a British-Swedish engineer, inventor and industrialist. Samuel Owen moved to Sweden in 1807 and founded in 1809 a workshop in Stockholm that produced all kinds of mechanical components for the industry.
Family: He was married three times; First in England with Ann Spen Toft, then 1817 in Sweden with Beata Carolina Svedell. Beata died 1822. Soon after he married Johanna Magdalena Elisabeth (1797–1880), also called "Lisette" (probably a children's name for Elisabeth). She was born Strindberg and was an aunt to August Strindberg
. In total he had 17 children with his three wives.
His first trip to Sweden was in 1804 to assist with the installation of four steam engines that were ordered from Sweden, intended for industrial use, that had been sold by the company Fenton, Murray & Wood’s in Leeds in England where Owen was employed at that time. The first engine was installed in the autumn 1804 in a textile factory at Lidingö
outside Stockholm
to replace horses that were used to drive the machines in the factory. After that installation work he went back to England but was asked once again in 1806 to come back to help in setting up another engine. 1807 he decided to stay in Sweden and in 1809 he opened his own workshop 'Kungsholmens Mekaniska Verkstad', situated at Kungsholmen
in Stockholm
. A street at Kungsholmen close to Stockholm City Hall
is named after Samuel Owen, 'Samuel Owens gata'. Two of the original buildings that formed his workshop still remain.
Samuel Owen was also engaged in the development of steam engine driven ships and was the first person in Sweden to build a ship with a steam engine. His first ship was called Amphitrite, built in 1818 at his shipyard close the work shop, had a steam engine with 6 hp. His new steam ship was a sensation for the people around the waters around Stockholm but many were also skeptical of the new "fire and air engines" that required a lot of wood for the steam boiler. He also carried out tests with early type of propellers. In July 1816 he presented the first propeller driven steamship "The Witch of Stockholm". These early propeller designs, however, required many years before they came into practical use. The steamships in those days were normally driven by paddle wheels.
He became one of the most recognized engineers and industrialists in Sweden. In 1843 he faced severe financial problems. His company was sold in 1844 and he became almost bankrupt. The government then decided to give him a lifetime pension with the motivation that he had made many important contribution for the development of the Swedish industry. However he continued to work and was employed for some years at a company in Södertälje
, but in 1853 he became sick and died in February 1854.
He was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
in 1831.
Samuel Owen has been called "the founder of the Swedish mechanical industry".
Norton in Hales
Norton in Hales is a village and parish in Shropshire, England.It lies on the A53 between the town of Market Drayton and Woore, Shropshire's most northeasterly village and parish.Staffordshire is to the east of the parish and Cheshire to the west...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England, died 15 February 1854 in Stockholm, was a British-Swedish engineer, inventor and industrialist. Samuel Owen moved to Sweden in 1807 and founded in 1809 a workshop in Stockholm that produced all kinds of mechanical components for the industry.
Family: He was married three times; First in England with Ann Spen Toft, then 1817 in Sweden with Beata Carolina Svedell. Beata died 1822. Soon after he married Johanna Magdalena Elisabeth (1797–1880), also called "Lisette" (probably a children's name for Elisabeth). She was born Strindberg and was an aunt to August Strindberg
August Strindberg
Johan August Strindberg was a Swedish playwright, novelist, poet, essayist and painter. A prolific writer who often drew directly on his personal experience, Strindberg's career spanned four decades, during which time he wrote over 60 plays and more than 30 works of fiction, autobiography,...
. In total he had 17 children with his three wives.
His first trip to Sweden was in 1804 to assist with the installation of four steam engines that were ordered from Sweden, intended for industrial use, that had been sold by the company Fenton, Murray & Wood’s in Leeds in England where Owen was employed at that time. The first engine was installed in the autumn 1804 in a textile factory at Lidingö
Lidingö Municipality
Lidingö Municipality is a municipality just east of Stockholm in Stockholm County in east central Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Lidingö...
outside Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
to replace horses that were used to drive the machines in the factory. After that installation work he went back to England but was asked once again in 1806 to come back to help in setting up another engine. 1807 he decided to stay in Sweden and in 1809 he opened his own workshop 'Kungsholmens Mekaniska Verkstad', situated at Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of Stockholm City. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland....
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. A street at Kungsholmen close to Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall
Stockholm City Hall is the building of the Municipal Council for the City of Stockholm in Sweden. It stands on the eastern tip of Kungsholmen island, next to Riddarfjärden's northern shore and facing the islands of Riddarholmen and Södermalm. It houses offices and conference rooms as well as...
is named after Samuel Owen, 'Samuel Owens gata'. Two of the original buildings that formed his workshop still remain.
Samuel Owen was also engaged in the development of steam engine driven ships and was the first person in Sweden to build a ship with a steam engine. His first ship was called Amphitrite, built in 1818 at his shipyard close the work shop, had a steam engine with 6 hp. His new steam ship was a sensation for the people around the waters around Stockholm but many were also skeptical of the new "fire and air engines" that required a lot of wood for the steam boiler. He also carried out tests with early type of propellers. In July 1816 he presented the first propeller driven steamship "The Witch of Stockholm". These early propeller designs, however, required many years before they came into practical use. The steamships in those days were normally driven by paddle wheels.
He became one of the most recognized engineers and industrialists in Sweden. In 1843 he faced severe financial problems. His company was sold in 1844 and he became almost bankrupt. The government then decided to give him a lifetime pension with the motivation that he had made many important contribution for the development of the Swedish industry. However he continued to work and was employed for some years at a company in Södertälje
Södertälje
Södertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
, but in 1853 he became sick and died in February 1854.
He was elected a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
in 1831.
Samuel Owen has been called "the founder of the Swedish mechanical industry".