Early Life and Education

Peter Carmichael was born on 2 March 1809 in Kirkland, Fife. He was the first born son of James Carmichael and Rachel Drummond. The family moved to London in 1812 in search of better economic prospects. However, they returned to Dundee shortly after in 1816, where James Carmichael took up a tenancy in a spinning mill in Dens.

Peter Carmichael attended Dundee Grammar School, learning the inner workings of a spinning mill while still in full time education.[i] He earned experience in the mill through working alongside his father and this led to Peter being given an engineering apprenticeship at Low’s Foundry in Monifieth – which specialised in spinning machinery.[ii]

Upon completing his apprenticeship in 1830, Carmichael moved to London for a position at Seaward’s Canal Iron Works, Limehouse. However, before long he had moved from London to Leeds to work under Peter Fairburn, with whom he invented the hackling machine.[iii] The hackling machine was designed to greatly improve the productivity of the mill while also reducing the cost of production.

Document showing handwritten account of Carmichael's flax scrutching machine with hand drawn diagram.
Carmichael’s flax scutching machine details, nd                     Ref: MS 11/5/2 p120

Carmichael’s association with the Baxter Brothers company began in 1833. Aged 24, Carmichael was offered a position as a manager in a spinning mill which was founded in Upper Dens, Dundee. His experience working in both London and Leeds enabled him to utilise his knowledge for the improvement of the production cycle.

Families within the engineering community were often intertwined in the nineteenth century. For example, Peter married Margaret Carmichael in 1842. Margaret’s father, also James Carmichael (non-relation), was an influential Dundee engineer. Together they had four children.

 

[i] Gauldie, Enid, ed. by (1969) The Dundee Textile Industry 1790-1885 – from the Papers of Peter Carmichael of Arthurstone. Scottish History Society Series 4 Volume 6. Edinburgh: T. & A. Constable. National Library of Scotland website.

[ii] Peter Carmichael of Arthurstone, Peter Carmichael of Arthurstone, 1837-1924. University of Dundee Archive Services. GB 254 MS 102

[iii] Ms102-1-2 Dens Works and Inventions

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Biography of an engineer