Portal:Scotland/Selected article/Week 1, 2011



Professor James Blyth MA, LLD, FRSE (4 April 1838 – 15 May 1906), was a Scottish electrical engineer and academic at Anderson's College, now the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow. He was a pioneer in the field of electricity generation through wind power and his wind turbine, which was used to light his holiday home in Maryhill, was the world's first-known structure by which electricity was generated from wind power. Blyth patented his design and later developed an improved model which served as an emergency power source at Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary & Dispensary for the next 30 years. Although Blyth received recognition for his contributions to science, electricity generation by wind power was considered uneconomical and no more wind turbines were built in the United Kingdom until 1951, some 64 years after Blyth built his first prototype. Blyth was born in Marykirk, Kincardineshire, on 4 April 1839. He attended the Marykirk parish school and later, the Montrose Academy before winning a scholarship to the General Assembly Normal School, Edinburgh in 1886. After graduating as a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Edinburgh in 1861 Blyth taught mathematics at Morrison's Academy in Crieff and helped set up classes at the newly established George Watson's College in Edinburgh.