All Topics  
Thomas Smith (engineer)

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Thomas Smith (engineer)
 
 
  Topics Thomas Smith (engineer) Topic Home

Thomas Smith (1752–1814) was a Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 businessman and early lighthouse engineer. Born in Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry

Broughty Ferry is a suburb on the eastern edge of the City of Dundee, situated on the shore of the Firth of Tay in eastern Scotland. "The Ferry" was formerly an independent burgh from 1864 until it was absorbed into the Royal Burgh of Dundee in 1913....
, Dundee
Dundee

Dundee is the fourth-largest City status in the United Kingdom in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
, his father drowned in Dundee harbour when he was young. His mother encouraged him into a career away from the sea, leading him into working in ironmongery.

By his 30's, he was running his own business making lamps and designing street lighting for the burgeoning New Town
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
. His success with innovative reflectors on lights led him to search for new business by contacting the newly-formed Northern Lighthouse Trust (now Northern Lighthouse Board
Northern Lighthouse Board

File:Ensign of the British Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses.svgFile:Northern Lighthouse Board Commisioners Flag of the United Kingdom.pngThe Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man....
).






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Thomas Smith (engineer)'
Start a new discussion about 'Thomas Smith (engineer)'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Thomas Smith (1752–1814) was a Scottish
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
 businessman and early lighthouse engineer. Born in Broughty Ferry
Broughty Ferry

Broughty Ferry is a suburb on the eastern edge of the City of Dundee, situated on the shore of the Firth of Tay in eastern Scotland. "The Ferry" was formerly an independent burgh from 1864 until it was absorbed into the Royal Burgh of Dundee in 1913....
, Dundee
Dundee

Dundee is the fourth-largest City status in the United Kingdom in Scotland and, fully named as Dundee City, one of Scotland's 32 Local government in Scotland Council areas of Scotland....
, his father drowned in Dundee harbour when he was young. His mother encouraged him into a career away from the sea, leading him into working in ironmongery.

By his 30's, he was running his own business making lamps and designing street lighting for the burgeoning New Town
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh

Edinburgh ; is the Capital city of Scotland, a position it has held since 1437. It is the seventh largest city in the United Kingdom and the second largest Scottish City status in the United Kingdom after Glasgow....
. His success with innovative reflectors on lights led him to search for new business by contacting the newly-formed Northern Lighthouse Trust (now Northern Lighthouse Board
Northern Lighthouse Board

File:Ensign of the British Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses.svgFile:Northern Lighthouse Board Commisioners Flag of the United Kingdom.pngThe Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man....
). He was appointed the first engineer to the Trust contracted to built the first four lighthouses (Kinnaird Head
Kinnaird Head

Kinnaird Head is a headlands and bays or promontory projecting out into the North Sea from the east coast of Scotland. The headland lies within the town of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, at ....
, Mull of Kintyre
Mull of Kintyre

The Mull of Kintyre is the most southwesterly section of the long Kintyre Peninsula in southwestern Scotland, approximately 10 miles from Campbeltown....
, Eilean Glas
Eilean Glas, Scalpay

This particular Eilean Glas is actually a peninsula of Scalpay, Outer Hebrides in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Eilean Glas is home to an historic lighthouse....
, and North Ronaldsay
North Ronaldsay

North Ronaldsay is the northernmost of the Orkney Islands, Scotland and with an area of is the fourteenth largest....
).

In 1787, he had been twice widowed and had three young children when he met and married Jean Lillie Stevenson, a widow whose young son was Robert Stevenson
Robert Stevenson (civil engineer)

Robert Stevenson was a Scottish civil engineer and famed designer and builder of lighthouses....
. Robert became Smith's apprentice, business partner, son-in-law and eventual inheritor of the lighthouse building business.

Lighthouses of Thomas Smith

  • Kinnaird Head
    Kinnaird Head

    Kinnaird Head is a headlands and bays or promontory projecting out into the North Sea from the east coast of Scotland. The headland lies within the town of Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, at ....
     (1787)
  • Mull of Kintyre
    Mull of Kintyre

    The Mull of Kintyre is the most southwesterly section of the long Kintyre Peninsula in southwestern Scotland, approximately 10 miles from Campbeltown....
     (1788)
  • Dennis Head Old Beacon
    Dennis Head Old Beacon

    Dennis Head Old Beacon is a ruined lighthouse on the island of North Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland.It featured on the 2006 BBC television series Restoration Village finishing in third place....
    , North Ronaldsay
    North Ronaldsay

    North Ronaldsay is the northernmost of the Orkney Islands, Scotland and with an area of is the fourteenth largest....
     (1789)
  • Eilean Glas
    Eilean Glas, Scalpay

    This particular Eilean Glas is actually a peninsula of Scalpay, Outer Hebrides in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland. Eilean Glas is home to an historic lighthouse....
    , Scalpay
    Scalpay, Outer Hebrides

    Scalpay is an island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland....
    , Harris (1789)
  • Pladda
    Pladda

    Pladda is an island off the west coast of Scotland. It is home to a lighthouse of the same name....
    , off the Isle of Arran
    Isle of Arran

    The Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, with an area of . It is in the Subdivisions of Scotland of North Ayrshire....
     (1790)
  • Little Cumbrae
    Little Cumbrae

    Little Cumbrae is an island in the Firth of Clyde, in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The island is known locally as Wee Cumbrae....
     (1793)
  • Pentland Skerries
    Muckle Skerry

    Muckle Skerry is the largest of the Pentland Skerries that lie off the north coast of Scotland. It is home to the Pentland Skerries Lighthouse....
     (1794)
  • Cloch
    Cloch

    Cloch or Cloch Point is a point on the coast of the Firth of Clyde, Scotland at . The name comes from the Scottish Gaelic for stone....
    , Greenock
    Greenock

    Greenock is a large town and former burgh of barony in the Inverclyde council area of western Scotland. It forms part of a contiguous urban area with Gourock to the west and Port Glasgow to the east....
    , (1797)
  • Inchkeith
    Inchkeith

    Inchkeith is an island in the Firth of Forth, Scotland. It is located off Leith, but is officially part of Fife.Inchkeith has had a colourful history as a result of its proximity to Edinburgh and strategic location for use as home for a lighthouse and for military purposes defending the Firth of Forth for attack from shipping, and more rec...
    , Firth of Forth
    Firth of Forth

    The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh, and East Lothian to the south....
     (1804)
  • Start Point, Sanday
    Sanday, Orkney

    Sanday is one of the inhabited islands in the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland. With an area of , it is the third largest of the Orkney Islands....
     (1806)