Thomas Morton (shipwright)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Morton was a Scottish
shipwright and inventor. His most widely known invention is the patent slip
.
in October 1781 and grew up to become a shipwright like his father, Hugh. After spending some time working for his father, Morton went on to form his own shipbuilding company in the borough which later became S. & H. Morton & Co.
Unable to afford the installation of a dry dock
in his Leith shipyards, Morton "resorted to the process of hauling up [ships] on greased ways". As this method was both dangerous and time consuming in 1818 he invented and installed the first patent slip
; a slipway
with cradle to haul ships out of the water. He was granted a patent
for the invention the following year. In 1824 Morton sued John Barclay
in Edinburgh
for patent infringement after he had installed a similar design in the yards of his company, Stobcross, three years before. Barclay's version was described as a poor copy by fellow shipwright William Denny
, and the court found in favour of Morton.
Despite the popularity of the invention Morton did not profit from it for the first six years of the patent. A total of 45 slips were built (in Scotland, England, Ireland, Russia and the United States), earning the shipwright a total profit of £5737, before he applied for an extension to the patent in 1832. The extension was denied and instead a House of Commons select committee
awarded Morton the sum of £2500.
Morton died in December 1832 and is interred in South Leith church. His company, S. & H. Morton & Co. continued operating.
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
shipwright and inventor. His most widely known invention is the patent slip
Patent slip
The patent slip or Marine Railway was invented by Scot Thomas Morton in 1818 as a cheaper alternative to a dry dock for ship repair. It consisted of an inclined plane, which extended well into the water, and a wooden cradle onto which a ship was floated...
.
Biography
Morton was born in LeithLeith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
in October 1781 and grew up to become a shipwright like his father, Hugh. After spending some time working for his father, Morton went on to form his own shipbuilding company in the borough which later became S. & H. Morton & Co.
Unable to afford the installation of a dry dock
Dry dock
A drydock is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform...
in his Leith shipyards, Morton "resorted to the process of hauling up [ships] on greased ways". As this method was both dangerous and time consuming in 1818 he invented and installed the first patent slip
Patent slip
The patent slip or Marine Railway was invented by Scot Thomas Morton in 1818 as a cheaper alternative to a dry dock for ship repair. It consisted of an inclined plane, which extended well into the water, and a wooden cradle onto which a ship was floated...
; a slipway
Slipway
A slipway, boat slip or just a slip, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats. They are also used for launching and retrieving small boats on trailers and flying boats on their undercarriage. The...
with cradle to haul ships out of the water. He was granted a patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
for the invention the following year. In 1824 Morton sued John Barclay
John Barclay
John Barclay may refer to:*John Barclay , Scottish satirist and Latin poet*John Barclay , Scottish theological writer*John Barclay , Canadian Church of Scotland clergyman...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
for patent infringement after he had installed a similar design in the yards of his company, Stobcross, three years before. Barclay's version was described as a poor copy by fellow shipwright William Denny
William Denny and Brothers
William Denny and Brothers Limited, and often referred to simply as Denny, were a Scottish shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was founded by Peter Denny in 1840 and based in Dumbarton, on the River Clyde. Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River...
, and the court found in favour of Morton.
Despite the popularity of the invention Morton did not profit from it for the first six years of the patent. A total of 45 slips were built (in Scotland, England, Ireland, Russia and the United States), earning the shipwright a total profit of £5737, before he applied for an extension to the patent in 1832. The extension was denied and instead a House of Commons select committee
Select committee
A select committee is a special subcommittee of a legislature or assembly governed under a committee system, like Robert's Rules of Order. They are often investigative in nature, collecting data or evidence for a law or problem, and will dissolve immediately after they report their findings to...
awarded Morton the sum of £2500.
Morton died in December 1832 and is interred in South Leith church. His company, S. & H. Morton & Co. continued operating.
Ships built by S. & H. Morton & Co.
- WendoureeWendouree (1882)Wendouree was a steel steamship built as a collier by S & H Morton & Co., Leith, Scotland for Huddart Parker & Co. Pty. Ltd. She was later refitted to carry passengers for the Melbourne to Sydney run.-Fate:...
, launched in 1882 and wreck in Australia in 1898. - Tom Morton, launched in 1872 for Christian Salvesen; it was lost at sea in 1886.