Joseph Nasmith (22 April 1850 – 8 December 1904) was a British consulting textile engineer,[1] editor of the Textile Recorder and author, known for his work on the history and state of the art of the textile industry, particularly cotton spinning and cotton mill construction and engineering.[2][3][4]

Joseph Nasmith
Born(1850-04-22)22 April 1850
Manchester, Lancashire, England
Died8 December 1904(1904-12-08) (aged 54)
Manchester, Lancashire, England
OccupationMechanical engineer

Biography

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Born in Manchester, Nasmith was educated as engineer at the Mechanics' Institutes in Manchester (later to become UMIST), and was apprentice at the machine factory of Henry Wren and John Hopkinson in Manchester.[5]

Nasmith started his career in the industry, working in various parts of the country among others at the Portsmouth Dockyard. Eventually in 1890 he settled in Manchester as consulting engineer, specialized in the textile industry. Over the years he had gained extensive knowledge of the spinning and weaving industry and its origin. He also became editor of the "Textile Recorder," and wrote several articles and books on his speciality. In 1896 was also appointed Examiner in Cotton Spinning at the City and Guilds of London Institute.[5]

Nasmith was member of The Manchester Association of Engineers, and was elected president in the year 1896/97. In 1889 he was appointed Associate of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, in 1894 Associate Members, and in 1897 full Member.[5]

Nasmiths son, Frank Nasmith (1879-2049), took over the consulting business and the editorship[6] and also became known as an eminent Textile Consulting Engineer.[7]

Selected publications

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References

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  1. ^ Abbott, A. "Technical Education for the Textile Industry." Journal of the Textile Institute Proceedings 22.5 (1931): P64-P83.
  2. ^ Blaug, Mark. "The productivity of capital in the lancashire cotton industry during the nineteenth century." The Economic History Review 13.3 (1961): 358-381.
  3. ^ Lazonick, William. "Industrial relations and technical change: the case of the self-acting mule." Cambridge Journal of Economics (1979): 231-262.
  4. ^ Lazonick, William. "Factor costs and the diffusion of ring spinning in Britain prior to World War I." The Quarterly Journal of Economics (1981): 89-109.
  5. ^ a b c Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Proceedings. Volumes 1-2 (1905), p. 157.
  6. ^ Hugh L. Robinson. "OBITUARY: Frank Nasmith" in Journal of the Textile Institute Proceedings. Vol. 40, Iss. 2, 1949. p. 177-78
  7. ^ The Electrical Engineer. Vol. 46. (1911), p. 497
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