Some of the history relating to Murdoch House

Murdoch House is in the center of Redruth on Cross Street. It is a 17th century house which was once lived in by William Murdoch (1754-1832). Murdoch was a mine engineer employed by Boulton & Watt of Birmingham. He was also a inventive genius who pioneered the use of coal gas for lighting and the house was the first premises in the World to be lit by gas. He also invented many other things and you can read more about him here. 

The building has been used for many things including a tea room run by Mrs Knuckey in the late 19th century (see photo). In 1931 Mr A Pearce Jenkin, a leading citizen of Redruth purchased the house and gave it as a gift to the Society of Friends (Quakers). It served as a Meeting House and later a center for education and community purposes. 

Dr. Fred Harris M.A. was appointed as the Honorary Warden and he instigated several iniatives including the Cornish Biological Database which in 1997, following yeas of work at Murdoch House, was the basis for the setting up of the Environmental Records Center for Cornwall which is now managed by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust at their center at Allet, Truro.

Dr Harris also set up a Biographical Database which is still held at Murdoch House and used by researchers on a regular basis.  He then set up and funded the Cornish American Connection, with Moira Tangye as its Director. 

Today this has evolved into the Cornish Global Migration Programme (CGMP) an ongoing work managed by Juliet Jenkin.

Murdoch House is also the base of the Redruth Story Group which researches the history of Redruth and its people. 

William Murdoch (1754-1839)

• The son of an inventive miller, William Murdoch was born on the 21st August 1754 at Bello(w) Mill, on an estate of James Boswell in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, Scotland.
  

• Murdoch was exposed to many of the changes of the Industrial Revolution whilst assisting his father on the farm and at the mill. He was also involved in sub-contracts associated with the Newcomen Atmospheric Steam Engine at the Carron Iron Foundry and with engineering works at Gasswater & Bernieknowe.
  

• Encouraged in his work by James Boswell (Samuel Johnson's biographer) Murdoch moved to Birmingham to work with Mathew Boulton and James Watt, who were pioneering work on steam engines.
  

• 1779 Murdoch aged 25 years was sent as a Steam Engine Erector to Redruth, Cornwall, the center of the Tin Mining Industry. Here he was known as a diligent very capable, extremely hard-working, inventive, loyal man.
  
  Murdoch set up home in Cross Street, Redruth on a site larger than the present Murdoch House, where he had a workshop and a garden.
  

• 1784 Despite a very full working life, Murdoch invented and built a model locomotive. It got out of control whn he tested it, late one afternoon, in Church Lane, Redruth, and terrified the vicar, whose path it crossed.
  

• Murdoch's employers, Boulton & Watt, discouraged him from pursuing his efforts, thereby depriving the world of steam locomotion until it was fully developed by Richard Trevithick and George Stephenson.
  

• 1785 Dec:27th. Murdoch married Anne Paynter aged 19 years, the daughter of a Cornish Mine Captain of Polgooth. The twin children born in 1786 died aged 15 month and 18 months. A second son called William was baptised on 22nd July 1788. A third child was baptised John on the 1st of July 1790 and his mother who had died giving birth to him was buried. Murdoch's mother-in-law moved in with him to look after the children.
  

• 1794 After years of research and experimentation in his workshop, Murdoch's house was lit by coal gas.
  

• Murdoch returned to Boulton & Watts Birmingham Soho Foundry where he continued his innovative work and further developed his work on the uses of gas, its utilisation as a fuel and its lighting properties.
  

• His sons went to Scotland to be educated.
  

• 1839 Murdoch died and was buried at Handsworth Church, Birmingham and although missed by his friends and workmen, there was scant tribute to his genius.