Robert Salmon (inventor)

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Robert Salmon (1763 – 6 October 1821), was an architect and inventor of

agricultural implements. He was employed on the Duke of Bedford's estate in Woburn, Bedfordshire
, England, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Early career

Salmon was born in 1763 in

Leicester Fields, who aided him in his education. He soon displayed remarkable mechanical ability, and, being fond of music, made for himself a violin and other musical instruments.[1]

A few years later, he obtained the appointment of

Carlton House, London. In 1790 he was employed under Holland at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire, where he attracted the notice of Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford, and became the Duke's resident architect and mechanic in 1794.[1]

At Woburn

Salmon effected many reforms in the management of the Duke's property. From 1795 he designed Park Farm, Speedwell Farm and many other buildings on the Russell estates. The Duke was interested in the

agricultural implements attracted much attention.[1][2][3][4]

In 1797 the

haymaking machine.[1]

He received at various times silver medals from the Society of Arts for surgical instruments, a canal lock, a weighing machine, a humane mantrap, and a system of earthwalls. John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (who succeeded his brother the 5th Duke in 1802) conferred on Salmon the stewardship of his Chenies estate, so that he might improve the system of plantation. He paid great attention to the proper method of pruning forest trees, for which he invented an apparatus, and made experiments to determine the best method of seasoning timber.[1]

Retirement

In September 1821, in failing health, Salmon retired to Lambeth. He died within a month of his retirement, while on a visit to Woburn, on 6 October 1821. He was buried two days later in Woburn Church, where the 6th Duke of Bedford placed a tablet commemorating his "unwearied zeal and disinterested integrity".[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Carlyle, Edward Irving (1897). "Salmon, Robert" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 50. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 206–207.
  2. ^ Park Farm Woburn bedfordshire.gov.uk, accessed 4 March 2016.
  3. ^ Speedwell Farm Woburn bedfordshire.gov.uk, accessed 4 March 2016.
  4. ^ Radford, Emma Louisa (1897). "Russell, Francis (1765-1802)" . In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 49. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp. 435–437.

Attribution

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