George Crompton
| George Crompton | |
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| Born |
23 March 1829 Lancashire, England |
| Died | 16 December 1886 (aged 57) Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Nationality | United States |
| Fields | Textiles, Invention, Manufacturing |
| Known for | Invention of the Crompton Loom |
| Notable awards |
Paris Exposition (1867) U.S. Centennial Exposition (1876) National Inventors Hall of Fame (2007) |
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George Crompton (23 March 1829 – 29 December 1886) was an American inventor, manufacturer, and businessman and the son of William Crompton, an inventor. He is most well known for his invention, perfection, and popularization of the Crompton Loom, a fancy loom that could reach maximum speeds of eighty-five picks per second, nearly twice the speed of its most efficient predecessors. Crompton Loom Works, located in his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts, aided in the Civil War effort to provide uniforms and blankets for the U.S. Army. Crompton’s looms did have competition from foreign innovations, yet when brought to the Paris Exposition Universelle (1867) his products won a silver medal. His looms were also present at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. From these two events, the Crompton Loom gained popularity and became famous throughout the manufacturing circles. Crompton was also quite involved in his town of Worcester; he was a member of the common council (1860–1861) and held the office of alderman (1863–1864), in addition to running for mayor unsuccessfully in 1871. When he died, Worcester announced that it had lost the man who helped the town transform from a "pretty New England town" to an industrial city. Crompton was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2007 due to the large-scale impact of his loom.
George Crompton was born at Holcombe, Tottington, Lancashire, England on March 23, 1829 to William Crompton and Sarah Low. The Crompton family immigrated to the United States in 1836 when George was nine and lived in Taunton, Massachusetts. Even early in his life, multiple sources cite Crompton's uncanny mechanical ability and problem-solving prowess.
In 1837, George's father William, who worked in the textile industry, invented the first fancy power loom. Since looms were certainly a part of George Crompton’s childhood, his father’s invention most likely began to lay the foundation for George’s soon-to-be successful career.
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