Philippe de Girard
Encyclopedia
Philippe Henri de Girard (February 1, 1775 – 1845) was a French engineer and inventor of the first flax spinning frame in 1810, as well as the name-sake for the town of Żyrardów
in Poland
. He was also the uncredited inventor of food preservation using tin cans.
Girard was born in the village of Lourmarin
in the département of Vaucluse
, France, to a wealthy aristocratic family. As a child he was sent by his parents to some of the most notable French schools of the era. However, in the effect of the French Revolution
, his family was forced to flee France and young Philippe had to abandon his studies in order to help his family earn money for living.
In May 1810 Napoleon I tried to stop English cotton fabrics entering the continent of Europe and offered a reward of one million francs to any inventor who could devise the best machinery for the spinning of flax yarn. After only a short period Philippe de Girard took out a French patent for important inventions for both dry and wet methods of spinning flax. He was not awarded the prize money and failed to gain the recognition he felt was deserved. So he accepted, when in 1815 he was invited by the Austrian government to establish a spinning mill in Hirtenberg
near Vienna, which employed his spinning frames, however it failed to prove a commercial success.
In 1817 Girard returned to France with a prototype ready, but the internal situation of France after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte
prevented the new French authorities from payment of the debts and eventually Girard sold his patent to England.
His inventions were patented in England in 1814, by Horace Hall (possibly a pseudonym).
It would not have been easy for a French man to introduce a new development into England at this point in history. It never really caught on.
In the British Isles James Kay has been credited with this invention. Although, in 2 Dec.,1826 shortly after Kay’s patent was awarded, Philippe Henri de Girard seems to have been prompted to write to the Editor of The Manchester Guardian complaining about this and pointing out he had been the inventor. The fact that Horace Hall
made no complaint might suggest this name being a pseudonym.
Several years afterwards the situation in France improved and Girard started the first modern textile factory in Lille
. Initially the business was a failure and Girard almost went bankrupt.
In 1825 he was hired by the government of the Kingdom of Poland
to develop the Polish textile industry. He became the expert of the Polish government, as well as the Bank of Poland
. Because of financial support of the latter, in 1831 he organised the first major factory of his project in Marymont
near Warsaw
. Two years later he moved with his business to the village of Ruda Guzowska, where the factory had better perspectives. Soon it became a great success and brought fame and prosperity both to the settlement and to Girard. In honour of Girard, Ruda Guzowska was renamed to Żyrardów, a toponym derived of the polonised
spelling of Girard's name.
In 1844 Girard returned to France, where he planned to open more factories. However, he died the following year. Apart from the town of Żyrardów (currently one of the biggest suburbs of Warsaw), Girard became a name-sake for a street and a college in XVIIIe arrondissement
of Paris and two lycea
in Żyrardów and Avignon
.
After his death, his work was recognised and his descendants were rewarded with a small pension by the French Emperor.
Zyrardów
Żyrardów is a town in central Poland with 41,400 inhabitants . It is situated in the Masovian Voivodship ; previously, it was in Skierniewice Voivodship 45 km West of Warsaw. It is the capital of Żyrardów County...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. He was also the uncredited inventor of food preservation using tin cans.
Girard was born in the village of Lourmarin
Lourmarin
Lourmarin is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Lourmarinois.-Geography:...
in the département of Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
, France, to a wealthy aristocratic family. As a child he was sent by his parents to some of the most notable French schools of the era. However, in the effect of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, his family was forced to flee France and young Philippe had to abandon his studies in order to help his family earn money for living.
In May 1810 Napoleon I tried to stop English cotton fabrics entering the continent of Europe and offered a reward of one million francs to any inventor who could devise the best machinery for the spinning of flax yarn. After only a short period Philippe de Girard took out a French patent for important inventions for both dry and wet methods of spinning flax. He was not awarded the prize money and failed to gain the recognition he felt was deserved. So he accepted, when in 1815 he was invited by the Austrian government to establish a spinning mill in Hirtenberg
Hirtenberg
Hirtenberg is a town of approx. 2,500 inhabitants near Baden bei Wien in Lower Austria, Austria. The river Triesting is located at the south border of the town...
near Vienna, which employed his spinning frames, however it failed to prove a commercial success.
In 1817 Girard returned to France with a prototype ready, but the internal situation of France after the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
prevented the new French authorities from payment of the debts and eventually Girard sold his patent to England.
His inventions were patented in England in 1814, by Horace Hall (possibly a pseudonym).
It would not have been easy for a French man to introduce a new development into England at this point in history. It never really caught on.
In the British Isles James Kay has been credited with this invention. Although, in 2 Dec.,1826 shortly after Kay’s patent was awarded, Philippe Henri de Girard seems to have been prompted to write to the Editor of The Manchester Guardian complaining about this and pointing out he had been the inventor. The fact that Horace Hall
Horace Hall
Philippe Henri de Girard patented in France spinning frames for both the dry and wet spinning of flax. His inventions were also patented in England in 1815, in the name of Horace Hall.Little is known about Horace Hall, it is a possible pseudonym...
made no complaint might suggest this name being a pseudonym.
Several years afterwards the situation in France improved and Girard started the first modern textile factory in Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. Initially the business was a failure and Girard almost went bankrupt.
In 1825 he was hired by the government of the Kingdom of Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
to develop the Polish textile industry. He became the expert of the Polish government, as well as the Bank of Poland
Bank of Poland
Bank Polski is the name of two former banks in Poland, each of which acted as a central bank. The first was founded by Franciszek Ksawery Drucki-Lubecki in 1828 in Congress Poland and functioned until 1885, when it was absorbed by the State Bank of the Russian Empire.The second was founded in 1924...
. Because of financial support of the latter, in 1831 he organised the first major factory of his project in Marymont
Marymont
Marymont is one of the northern neighbourhoods of Warsaw, Poland, administratively a part of the boroughs of Żoliborz and Bielany . Named after the queen of Poland Maria Kazimiera , wife of king John III Sobieski, it initially housed a small summer manor...
near Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. Two years later he moved with his business to the village of Ruda Guzowska, where the factory had better perspectives. Soon it became a great success and brought fame and prosperity both to the settlement and to Girard. In honour of Girard, Ruda Guzowska was renamed to Żyrardów, a toponym derived of the polonised
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
spelling of Girard's name.
In 1844 Girard returned to France, where he planned to open more factories. However, he died the following year. Apart from the town of Żyrardów (currently one of the biggest suburbs of Warsaw), Girard became a name-sake for a street and a college in XVIIIe arrondissement
XVIIIe arrondissement
The 18th arrondissement , located on the Rive Droite , is one of the 20 arrondissements of Paris, France...
of Paris and two lycea
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
in Żyrardów and Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
.
After his death, his work was recognised and his descendants were rewarded with a small pension by the French Emperor.