Club Meeting

On Thursday 23rd March, members and guests of the Rotary Club of South Queensferry enjoyed a most interesting talk by Ian Shearer, chairman of Friends of Kinneil, at the Hawes Inn. Ian's subject was two great inventors of the eighteenth century - James Watt and Dr John Roebuck. Titled 'The Power to Change the World', the presentation covered the collaborative relationship between Dr John Roebuck, who leased Bo'ness coalmines, saltworks and Kinneal Estate at Bo'ness and James Watt who built experimental steam engines at Kinneal and worked with Roebuck on other processes such as producing alkali from salt and lime.

On a visit to London to apply for a patent, Watt met Matthew Boulton with whom he went into partnership in Birmingham building steam engines. While Watt prospered, Roebuck's Bo'ness businesses were in financial difficulties. In 1773 Roebuck went bankrupt. Watt's engine at Kinneil was dismantled and taken to Birmingham.

Despite his fame being eclipsed by James Watt, Dr John Roebuck, who was also involved in founding the Carron Ironworks near Falkirk, was a most significant figure. According to the Dictionary of National Biography he was hailed by some as the pioneer of the heavy industries that came to dominate so much of the Central Belt of Scotland .....a restless spirit of invention and optimism.