When is a historian of technology, it is all the time - even in cemeteries. Let me explain.
I was recently at Le Mans for a few days, as you probably know if you read my blog daily. I took the opportunity to make a visit that I am not normal, that of the grave of my grandmother, at Holy Cross cemetery on the heights east of the city. I was not returned since the funeral, in 1984 and thus had a vague idea of the topography - it is not too connected with the cult of the dead in the family.
Still, as I paced the aisles to find the right location (it is a tiny cemetery, thankfully) when I came across two neighbors famous father and son:
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The Bollée are known to have, first, having the idea of using thermal energy for the transport of passengers by road. This idea has been subsequently, as we know, some success - even though the attention of the State and the so-called big business was entirely focused on the railways . By the way, we only asked to be able to bring people and goods to the nearest station, the development of the secondary network was considerably closer - to the point where walking and horse carts were to be more than sufficient for these trips . That's why we (Sigaut Francis, I think) speaks inrush Automotive, unknown or almost constituted authorities.
This burst is, I believe, the result of the maturation of a professional environment, that of small and medium mechanics. These are small workshops, small capital, or polytechnic, or Engineers, but the dynasties of craftsmen in the suburbs of major cities and towns (Le Mans, Belfort ...). Emerge from their studios bikes, cars, and even, when two bicycle manufacturers from North Carolina, the aircraft. It is still not there!
What struck me seeing these headstones is the link between foundry and the new mechanics. Not surprising when you think about - the manufacture of a combustion engine requires many castings of body roll driving motor through connecting rods. But was it well done as this art was central to the progress of mechanics?
After all, consider the England of the eighteenth century in the great upheaval of the time, that of the steam engine is the ability to flow and drill large bodies of cast iron cylinders which allowed Newcomen and Watt and Boulton, transform ideas into industrial successes ...
The Foundry central point of the two industrial revolutions? Why not!
