Who invented refrigeration? An Australian of course, one James Harrison. He was Scottish born, a large regional town newspaper owner, The Geelong Advertiser now a Murdoch paper, and a member of Victoria's upper parliamentary house called the Legislative Council.
I had no knowledge of this and I was surprised when I came across this plaque somewhere in the north in the city.
You can read more about him here. It isn't too heavy.
Don't we have a lot to thank James for? Now, time for a glass of chilled and crisp sauvignon blanc. Cheers James. Set to publish at 5am, so clearly not written at 4.50am.
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I didn't know that. Thank you - and huge thanks to James Harrison as well.
ReplyDeleteEC, yes who would have thought the inventor was an Australian.
DeleteIn my genealogy work, I have found that many important discoveries have been made by the Scots.
ReplyDeleteMaribeth, yes I know. I know. Why so?
DeleteInteresting to learn this fact and sad to hear most regional newspaper now belongs to Murdocracy.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, at least there are still regional papers, unlike for me who in twenty years has gone from three local newspapers to none.
DeleteFloridians in the USA might disagree with you Andrew..."John B. Gorrie (October 3, 1803 – June 29, 1855) was a Nevisian-born American physician and scientist, credited as the inventor of mechanical refrigeration." He is well-remembered in the coastal town of Apalachicola.
ReplyDeleteYP, I am not surprised that the pushback came from you. After reading the Wiki entry for Mr Gorrie, I stand by Harrison who made a machine that could turn out hundreds of ice blocks in a day. It is one thing to see something and quite another to put it to practical use.
DeleteIt amazing what we learn on blogs.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Indeed it is Dora and I learn every day.
DeleteVery cool!
ReplyDeletePun intended no doubt Debby.
DeleteThank you for giving me another reason to raise a glass of something chilled of an evening. I shall toast him with the respect and gratitude he deserves.
ReplyDeleteCaro, and god forbid a warm gin and tonic.
DeleteI agree that Scots were cleverest people on the planet in the 19th century. Australians, on the other hand, many not have been innately brilliant, but we were so far away from Europe, we had to be innovative to survive.
ReplyDeleteHels, that is what I see too about the Scots. I wonder why? We did become good with bits of wire and rope.
DeleteHow interesting, read about him, clever man.
ReplyDeleteI thought so Margaret.
DeleteI think he counts for Australia, because I had read some time ago that it was a German (lol) and if you ask Google it says : Carl von Linde, a German scientist, invented a portable compressor refrigeration machine using methyl ether in 1873, and in 1876 switched to ammonia. In 1894, Linde also developed new methods for liquefying large amounts of air.
ReplyDeleteBut there were some others earlier. Interesting !
Gattina, I knew there would be differing opinions about this. No matter. Thanks to whoever invented refrigeration.
DeleteInterestng competition on who invented refrigeration. I only learned about iceblocks from winter lakes being imbedded in straw for summer usage when I moved to Canada. And then saw iceboxes (fridge units) in cottages. I'm sure they're all gone now. Wood lined with zinc. The ice would last forever and they even churned icecream from chips cut off.
ReplyDeleteMore trivia for your collection.
XO
WWW
M, we used to have iceboxes here too. I can remember one in my grandfather's caravan but the ice never lasted long during summer holidays. I think we needed a block every day.
DeleteThanks James.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the header picture back again. There is a smiling face in that header picture and as I click on your blog I expect to see it. Glad it's back.
ReplyDeleteThanks heaps TJD. It is nice to be slightly back to normal.
DeleteIt seems kind of fallacious to credit any one person with an idea as big as refrigeration. (Witness YP's comment above.) After all there are lots of different ways to refrigerate, and people were keeping food cold long before Mr. Harrison came along. (And I'm not just saying that because I'm a Floridian!)
ReplyDeleteSteve, I think Harrison does deserve credit for practical application and that so much ice could be produced in a short time. But you are right. In many areas many minds work on the same problem simultaneously.
DeleteAs the old saying goes, 'Great minds think alike'. However facetious that reads, I'm forever fascinated by parallel and/or accidental discoveries. Thank you for sharing this.
DeleteI'm just glad SOMEBODY invented it. Imagine ice cream without it!
ReplyDelete