Early Life
Fowler was born in Melksham, Wiltshire, the third of five brothers. His father, John Fowler senior was a wealthy Quaker merchant, who had married Rebecca Hull. As well as five sons, they also had three daughters. When he left school Fowler followed his father’s wishes and began working for a local corn merchant, but when he came of age in 1847 he turned his back on the corn business and joined the engineering firm of Gilkes Wilson and Company of Middlesbrough. Amongst other things, the company was involved in building steam locomotives and colliery winding engines. The company built a number of locomotives for the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Read more about this topic: John Fowler (agricultural Engineer)
Famous quotes containing the words early and/or life:
“Franklin said once in one of his inspired flights of malignity—
Early to bed and early to rise
Make a man healthy and wealth and wise.
As if it were any object to a boy to be healthy and wealthy and wise on such terms.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)
“The record of one’s life must needs prove more interesting to him who writes it than to him who reads what has been written.
“I have no name:
“I am but two days old.”
What shall I call thee?
“I happy am,
“Joy is my name.”
Sweet joy befall thee!”
—William Blake (1757–1827)