Meikle, Andrew
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| born on | 5 May 1719 Jul.Cal. (16 May 1719 greg.) at 11:00 (= 11:00 AM ) | ||||
| Place | Saltoun, Scotland, 55n5356, 2w5105 | ||||
| Timezone | LMT m2w5105 (is local mean time) | ||||
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| Astrology data |   24°52'   22°08 Asc. 26°00'
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Biography
Scottish mechanical engineer credited with inventing the threshing machine, a device used to remove the outer husks from grains of wheat. He also had a hand in assisting Firbeck in the invention of the Rotherham Plough. This was regarded as one of the key developments of the British Agricultural Revolution in the late 18th century. The invention was made around 1786, although some say he only improved on an earlier design by a Scottish farmer named Leckie.
Earlier (c.1772), he also invented windmill 'Spring sails', which replaced the simple canvas designs previously used with sails made from a series of shutters that could be operated by levers, allowing windmill sails to be quickly and safely controlled in the event of a storm.
Meikle worked as a millwright at Houston Mill in East Linton, East Lothian, and inspired John Rennie to become a noted civil engineer.
He died at Houston Mill on 27 November 1811, aged 92.
Events
Source Notes
Sy Scholfield found birth entry in parish registry [1].
Categories
- Personal : Death : Long life more than 80 yrs (Age 92)
- Vocation : Engineer : Mechanical
- Notable : Famous : Founder/ originator (Co-inventor of Rotherham Plough)
- Notable : Famous : Founder/ originator (Inventor of windmill 'Spring sails')
- Notable : Famous : Founder/ originator (Inventor of threshing machine)
