Blue Plaque: James Watt

This Blue Plaque marks a Birmingham location associated with James Watt (1736–1819), the Scottish inventor whose refinement of the steam engine — patented in 1769 — helped catalyse the Industrial Revolution. Watt's partnership with Birmingham manufacturer Matthew Boulton produced the Boulton & Watt firm at the Soho Manufactory, which from 1775 became the world's foremost supplier of steam engines. The plaque is part of the long-running British Blue Plaque scheme, a network of small ceramic markers that quietly anchor figures of historical significance to specific streets and buildings across the country.