Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim, 'In the Clouds' Engineer and Inventor

Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (1840-1916), Engineer and Inventor, was born in Maine in the United States of America and, in 1864, joined his uncle's engineering business learning the skills of draughtsmanship and furthering his interest in technical and scientific studies. He went on to have a distinguished career in other engineering companies, during which time he was recognised for a number of significant electrical inventions. He also worked on submarines with Vickers Engineering. In 1884, Maxim moved to London where he formed the Maxim Gun Company, creating the first fully automatic gun which the British Army and the Royal Navy adopted in 1892. This was universally known as 'The Maxim Gun'. From 1889, the inventor directed his ingenuity to creating a flying machine, although, technically, his attempts failed. Maxim was knighted in 1901 and died in London in 1916.

It is rare that common sense walks hand in hand with invention.... He rises early and works late. He believes in an eight-hour day; that is eight hours before lunch, and eight hours after. He has made a hobby of the patent laws. He is a strong anti-clerical but has a Christian spirit - patents always excepted.

Vanity Fair, 'Men of the Day', No. 943, 1904.