John Harrison, an EnglishCarpenter and Clockmaker who invented the ‘Marine Chronometer’. He was a self-educated English born on April 3rd, 1693 Foulby, Yorkshire, England.
The invention of Marine Chronometer was a long sought-after device for ‘solving the problem of calculating Longitude’ while at sea. John Harrison’s solution revolutionized the navigation problem and increases the safety of long-distance sea travel. Considering his great invention the British Parliament offered him a financial reward of about £ 20,000 under the “1714 Longitude Act”.
Harrison represented his first chronometer in 1735 and submitted it for the prize. Later, he built three more instruments, each smaller and more accurate than the previous ones. He also gained support from the Longitude Board in building and testing his design. Later on, he received recognition and a reward from the Parliament. He came 39th in ‘the BBC’s 2002 Public Pole’ of the ‘100 Greatest Britons’.
