John Howell (1788–1863) was a Scottish inventor, who lived in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

. He was, among other things, a bookbinder, author, editor and shopkeeper. Among his more outlandish endeavors were an attempt to fly and to travel underwater in machines that he designed and built himself (in the former he broke his legs and the latter nearly drowned).

Biography

Howell was born at Old Lauriston, Edinburgh, in 1788, was apprenticed to a bookbinder, but afterwards was an assistant to Robert Kinnear, bookseller, in Frederick Street, Edinburgh, and subsequently spent five years with the firm of Stevenson, printers to the university, where he effected improvements in the art of stereotyping. Howell then returned to his trade of bookbinding at a workshop in Thistle Street, was patronized by Sir

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet, playwright and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'', ''Rob Roy (n ...

among others, and invented the well-known bookbinding "plough" for cutting the edges of books. Acquainted with many odd handicrafts, he opened a shop as curiosity dealer and china and picture repairer at 22 Frederick Street, where the sign over the door described him as a "polyartist". In the 1830s ''John Howell, polyartist'' is listed as living at 67 Thistle Street, in

Edinburgh's New Town The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It was built in stages between 1767 and around 1850, and retains much of its original neo-classical and Georgian period architecture. Its best known street is Princes Street ...

, close to his shop. The shop was not very successful, and Howell removed his business to 110 Rose Street, where he died 4 April 1863.

Family

Howell was married and left a family.

Works

Howell on one occasion attempted to use a

flying machine Early flying machines include all forms of aircraft studied or constructed before the development of the modern aeroplane by 1910. The story of modern flight begins more than a century before the first successful manned aeroplane, and the earl ...

in what are now the West Princes Street Gardens, but broke one of his legs in the experiment. At another time, having made, at considerable expense, a model in the shape of a fish, he entered the submarine, tried to swim under water at Leith, and was nearly drowned. He was more successful as an amateur doctor and dentist, and introduced the manufacture of Pompeian plates. Howell's writings show considerable diligence. He published: # ''An Essay on the War-galleys of the Ancients'', Edinburgh, 1826, 8vo. # ''The Life and Adventures of Alexander Selkirk'', Edinburgh, 1829, 12mo. # '' The Life of Alexander Alexander'', Edinburgh, 1830. He also wrote several of ''Wilson's Tales of the Borders''. He edited: *''Journal of a Soldier of the 71st Regiment, 1806–1815'', *''Life of

John Nicol John Nicol (1755-1825) was a Scottish sailor who in 1789 sailed on '' Lady Juliana'', a ship that transported convict women to Port Jackson in New South Wales, Australia.Bayham 2004 His autobiography, published in 1822, offers a rare first-hand ...

, the Mariner''.

Notes

References

* Attribution: * Endnotes: **Scotsman, 6 April 1863; **Notes and Queries, 3rd ser. ii. 491, iii. 19, 78, 379, 4th ser. ii. 393, 500.

External links