Gurney, Sir Goldsworthy

Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, (born Feb. 14, 1793, Treator, Cornwall, Eng.—died Feb. 28, 1875, Reeds, Cornwall), prolific English inventor who built technically successful steam carriages a half century before the advent of the gasoline-powered automobile.

Educated for a medical career, Gurney practiced as a surgeon in Wadebridge and London but soon turned his attention to solving practical scientific problems; he invented a steam jet, an oxyhydrogen blowpipe, and a musical instrument consisting of glasses played as a piano.

Following the sensational success of George Stephenson’s Rocket locomotive in 1829, Gurney undertook to build a steam-powered road vehicle. In the carriage that he constructed he drove from London to Bath and returned at a speed of 24 km (15 miles) per hour; so well did it perform that he built several more and opened a passenger service. Powerful opposition to his invention arose at once among the horse-coach interests, and, although Gurney’s vehicles were not excessively heavy (1 ¹/₂ to 2 ¹/₂ tons), they were soon taxed out of existence. Gurney was knighted in 1863 as a result of an entirely different technical feat, that of improving the lighting and ventilation of the House of Commons.