Table of Contents

The Inventions Exhibition in London 1885. An Elizabethan Settler Family. Interest in Astronomy. Engineering a Giant Telescope. Scientific Achievement. The Family after the death of the 3rd Earl. The Parsons Brothers Enter Manufacturing Industry. A Practical Steam Turbine. Clarke-Chapman and Parsons, Partners. A New Start. A Marine Prototype. Obstacles Overcome. Turbine Blades and Propellers. Competitors and Licensees. Marine Applications. Technical Developments. Heaton Works Comes of Age. Aftermath of War. Other Inventive Endeavors. Optical Industries. Autumn of Life. An Assessment.

About the Author

Scaife, W.G.S

Reviews

"Scaife's book provides a popular and highly readable account of the contributions made by these two great Irishmen." Science Today "From Galaxies to Turbines is stuffed with facts, figures, diagrams, pictures and quotations, many from archival sources. The pile of details helps to measure the breadth and height of the Parsons' achievements. Scaife's unpretentious text makes plain the courage, stubbornness and stamina that created the Parsons family Leviathans and offers welcome refreshment among the gimcracks and glitter of more fashionable histories of science." Nature vol 407 14 Sept 2000 "This book is, without doubt, the most extensive archival study of the science of the Rosse family." Allan Chapman, Astronomy Now .." this is a highly accessible and fascinating account for the general reader interested in the way scientific knowledge and industrial application have slowly converged in recent history." VGB/PowerTech .." a real gold mine." Centaurus "From Galaxies to Turbines is a well-researched book, detailing the lives of the Parsons family until the early 20th century. Many of the trials and tribulations that william Parsons and Charles Parsons experienced are brought to life with excerpts from letters between members of the Parsons family . . .the book is beautifully illustrated throughout." Vincent Chan in Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, October 2002 sup_mat www.birrcastle.com/: Galaxies 's book provides a popular and highly readable account of the contributions made by these two great Irishmen." Science Today "From Galaxies to Turbines is stuffed with facts, figures, diagrams, pictures and quotations, many from archival sources. The pile of details helps tomeasure the breadth and height of the Parsons' achievements. Scaife's unpretentious text makes plain the courage, stubbornness and stamina that created the Parsons family Leviathans and offers welcome refreshment among the gimcracks and glitter of more fashionable histories of science." Nature vol 407 14 Sept 2000 "This book is, without doubt, the most extensive archival study of the science of the Rosse family." Allan Chapman, Astronomy Now .." this is a highly accessible and fascinating account for the general reader interested in the way scientific knowledge and industrial application have slowly converged in recent history." VGB/PowerTech .." a real gold mine." Centaurus "From Galaxies to Turbines is a well-researched book, detailing the lives of the Parsons family until the early 20th century. Many of the trials and tribulations that william Parsons and Charles Parsons experienced are brought to life with excerpts from letters between members of the Parsons family . . .the book is beautifully illustrated throughout." Vincent Chan in Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, October 2002 sup_mat www.birrcastle.com/: Galaxies