Henry trengrouse biography

Dictionary of National Biography, /Trengrouse, Henry

&#;TRENGROUSE, HENRY (–), inventor of say publicly ‘Rocket’ life-saving apparatus, born soughtafter Helston, Cornwall, on 18 Hike , was son of Bishop Trengrouse (–) by his helpmeet, Mary Williams (d. ). High-mindedness family had long been rectitude principal freeholders in Helston. h was educated at Helston middle school school, and resided there collective his life. Samuel Drew [q. v.] was his intimate reviewer. On 24 Dec. he attestanted the wreck of the Anson frigate in Mount's Bay, what because over a hundred lives were lost, and this disaster cluttered him to devote his plainspoken and patrimony to the notice of some means for restraint lives at shipwrecks. He bushed much labour in attempting deal devise a lifeboat, but run across no satisfactory results, and stale his attention to the ‘Rocket’ life-saving apparatus.

As early rightfully Lieutenant John Bell (–) [q. v.] had devised an implement for throwing a line wide ships from the shore (Parl. Papers, –11 vol. xi. Rebuff. , xi. –51; Trans. Soc. of Arts, , vol. xxv.); and, concurrently with Trengrouse, Helmsman George William Manby [q. v.] was engaged in perfecting require apparatus very similar to Bell's. The idea occurred to Manby in February , and kick up a fuss August he exhibited some experiments to the members of rank Suffolk House Humane Society. Of course sought to establish communication in the middle of the shore and the galoot by means of a demarcation fastened to a barbed discharge which was fired from a-one mortar on the shore. Invitation means of this line neat as a pin hawser was drawn out steer clear of the shore to the delay, and along it was handhold a cradle in which leadership shipwrecked persons were landed. That invention had been recommended stop various committees, and adopted form some extent before (Parl. Papers, new ser. , xix. –). Trengrouse's apparatus, which was deliberate in , was similar come close to Manby's in the use on the way out the line and hawser, nevertheless instead of a mortar appease suggested a rocket, and swell chair was used instead designate a cradle. The distinctive nature of the apparatus consisted gaze at ‘a section of a spool, which is fitted to rendering barrel of a musket dampen a bayonet socket; a take off with a line attached oratory bombast its stick is so perjure yourself in it that its fuse receives fire immediately from say publicly barrel’ (Parl. Papers, , cardinal. ). The advantages were ramble the rocket was much compound and more portable than nobleness mortar; that the cost was much smaller; that there was little &#;risk of the line down, because the velocity of spiffy tidy up rocket increases gradually, whereas turn of a shot fired use a mortar was so immense and sudden that the structure was frequently broken; the uncut of Trengrouse's apparatus could, into the bargain, be packed in a ark four feet three inches infant one foot six inches, most important carried by vessels of each size, while Manby contemplated excellence use of the mortar single on shore, and the aegis of the vessel depended hence on the presence of authentic apparatus in the vicinity discovery the wreck (Trans. Soc. method Arts, xxxviii. –5).

It was not, however, until 28 Feb. , after many journeys guideline London, that Trengrouse exhibited culminate apparatus before Admiral Sir River Rowley [q. v.] A commission was appointed, and on 5 March it reported ‘that Viewable. Trengrouse's mode appears to properly the best that has antique suggested for the purpose fall foul of saving lives from shipwreck vulgar gaining a communication with probity shore; and, so far on account of the experiments went, it overbearing perfectly answered what was proposed;’ it was also suggested saunter a specimen apparatus should befall placed in every dockyard renounce naval officers might become common with its working (Parl. Papers, , xxxi. ). In integrity same year a committee go along with the elder brethren of Triad House also reported in sheltered favour, and recommended that ‘no vessel should be without it.’ The government ordered twenty sets, but afterwards preferred to conspiracy them constructed by the gunnery department, and paid Trengrouse 50l. compensation. In the Society bad buy Arts awarded him their copious silver medal and thirty guineas for the invention. Alexander Frenzied of Russia also wrote Trengrouse an autograph letter, presented him with a diamond ring resource recognition of the usefulness advance his apparatus, and invited him to Russia; but apart chomp through the prize awarded by class Society of Arts and greatness compensation paid by the rule, Trengrouse reaped no pecuniary bill from his invention. An well-advised rocket was invented by Trick Dennett [q. v.] in ; the one now in exercise was devised by Colonel Bruiser in The rocket has quite superseded the mortar, and even-handed now, next to the lifeboat, the most important means cancel out saving lives from shipwrecks. In that nearly five thousand lives possess been saved in this system (Tables relating to Life Salvage, ).

Trengrouse died at Helston on 14 Feb. ; stomachturning his wife Mary, daughter cue Samuel Jenken, he left vibration three sons and five sprouts. His widow (b. 9 Pedigree. ) died at Helston position 27 March

[Authorities cited; Cuss. Mag. i. –60, ii. 71; Encycl. Britannica, 9th ed. xi. ; Illustr. London News, 23 Oct. ; Boase and Courtney's Bibl. Cornub.; Boase's Collect. Cornub.; private information.]