John Brown was born in Sheffield, England back in 1816. His father was a slater (one who covers buildings with slate). When he turned 14 he apprenticed to Earl, Horton, & Company. They manufactured files and cutlery. In 1844, he started his own company John Brown & company manufacturing steel.
He sold the business shortly after making a huge profit. In 1856, he started a new business on a 3-acre track, just three years later that business was so successful it had grown into a 30-acre track. In 1864, he retired living in Sheffield. He was elected Mayor of Sheffield, knighted in 1867. He died in 1896, he was 80.
What you may not know about John is that in 1848 he invented the conical steel spring buffer for railway carriages. He sold them to most railways throughout the UK. However, it was what he invented in 1860, that will place him in the history book. John developed rolled armor plating for war ships. Now I bet you were thinking of another John Brown when you first started reading this, didn’t you?
Until tomorrow give someone the free gift of a smile
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