William Brunton

William Brunton Senior (26 May 1777 – 5 October 1851) was a Scottish engineer and inventor.

He was the eldest son of Robert Brunton (14 Aug 1748 - 1834) of Dalkeith, where he was born. He studied mechanics in his father's watch and clock making shop, and engineering under his grandfather William Brunton (16 July 1706 - 22 March 1787), who was a colliery viewer in the neighborhood. (His grandfathers death certificate states that William Brunton was actually a portioner in Dalkeith, not a colliery viewer)

In 1790 he commenced work in the fitting shops of the cotton mills at New Lanark built by David Dale and Sir Richard Arkwright.

In 1796, he migrated south to Birmingham, being attracted by the fame of the Soho Foundry, obtaining employment with Boulton and Watt. He remained at Soho until he was made foreman and superintendent of the engine manufactory. Still only twenty-one, he would be sent alone to rectify problems on customers premises.

Leaving Soho in 1808 he joined the Butterley Works of Benjamin Outram and William Jessop, and being deputed to represent his master in many important missions he made the acquaintance of John Rennie, Thomas Telford, and other eminent engineers.

In 1815 he returned to Birmingham, having become a partner in and the mechanical manager of the Eagle Foundry, where he remained ten years, during which time he designed and executed a great variety of important works.

From 1825 to 1835 he appears to have been practising in London as a civil engineer, but quitting the metropolis at the latter date he took a share in the Cwmafan Tin Works, Glamorganshire, where he erected copper smelting furnaces and rolling mills. He became connected with the Maesteg Works in the same county, and with a brewery at Neath in 1838; here a total failure ensued, and the savings of his life were lost.

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