Science Museum, London/ Science & Society Picture Library

British industry expanded rapidly in the years after 1780. In the vanguard were the cotton masters, whose methods set a precedent for factory production. Of much importance to these industrialists was the choice of motive power to drive their mills and factories. The rotative steam engine developed by James Watt, which came to be a major icon of the industrial revolution, was a prime candidate.

However, the speed with which Watt's innovations were taken up by industry is questionable. Their significance was not always appreciated by innately conservative industrialists. Under conditions of severe competition and economic hardship, they often preferred sticking to tried and tested methods. In this seminar, Ben Russell of the Science Museum looks at the factors affecting the use of the rotative steam engine in the cotton industry, and considers some of the alternatives that were available. Russell demonstrates how technological improvements, as well as business considerations, shaped the use of steam power through the nineteenth century.

• Compare the relative importance of different energy sources for the expansion of industry.
• Analyse the factors that may influence the speed at which a new innovation is accepted for use.
• Appreciate the problems faced by millowners in making their choice of power source.

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