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Thomas Morton (8 October 1781 – 24 December 1832) was a Scottish shipwright and inventor. His most widely known invention is the patent slip.[1]
Thomas Morton | |
|---|---|
| Born | 8 October 1781 |
| Died | 24 December 1832 (aged 51) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Shipwright |
| Known for | Patent slip |
Morton was born in Leith in October 1781 and grew up to become a shipwright like his father, Hugh. After spending some time working for his father, Morton went on to form his own shipbuilding company in the borough which later became S. & H. Morton & Co.[1]
Unable to afford the installation of a dry dock in his Leith shipyards, Morton "resorted to the process of hauling up [ships] on greased ways".[2] As this method was both dangerous and time-consuming, in 1818 he invented and installed the first patent slip; a slipway with cradle to haul ships out of the water. This was installed on the Water of Leith in front of his premises on Cooper Street in Leith.[3] He was granted a patent for the invention the following year.[2] In 1824 Morton sued John Barclay in Edinburgh for patent infringement after he had installed a similar design in the yards of his company, Stobcross, three years before. Barclay's version was described as a poor copy by fellow shipwright William Denny, and the court found in favour of Morton.[4]
Despite the popularity of the invention, Morton did not profit from it for the first six years of the patent. A total of 45 slips were built (in Scotland, England, Ireland, Russia and the United States), earning the shipwright a total profit of £5737, before he applied for an extension to the patent in 1832. The extension was denied and instead a House of Commons select committee awarded Morton the sum of £2500.[1][2]
In his later life he is listed as living at 1 Pilrig Place, a Georgian house on Leith Walk.[5]
Morton died in December 1832 and is interred in South Leith Parish Churchyard .[1] His company, S. & H. Morton & Co. continued operating.
His son Hugh Morton (1812-1878) continued the family business but moved the main premises from Cooper St/ Coburg St to Leith Walk on a site later used as a tram depot, attaching his house at 3 Smiths Place.[6]
Thomas Morton Hall, a performance hall holding up to 400 persons and sharing the Leith Town Hall with the Leith Theatre, is named after him. It was built in 1925.
- Wendouree, launched in 1882 and wreck in Australia in 1898.
- Tom Morton, launched in 1872 for Christian Salvesen; it was lost at sea in 1886.[7]
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