Hubert Cecil Booth

Hubert Cecil Booth

(4 July 1871 – 18 January 1955) was a British engineer who invented the first powered vacuum cleaner, [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1515776.stm|title=Sucking up to the vacuum cleaner|date=2001-08-30|publisher=www.bbc.co.uk|language=English|accessdate=2008-08-11] designed Ferris wheels in Blackpool, Paris, and Vienna and who designed suspension bridges. He was born in Gloucester and died in Purley, Surrey.

Education

Booth was educated at Gloucester College and Gloucester County School under headmaster Reverend H. Lloyed Brereton. In 1889 he entered the Central Technical College, City and Guild, London after passing the entrance examination. He completed a three year course in civil engineering and mechanical engineering under Professor W.C. Unwin FRS. He completed the Diploma of Associateship (ACGI), coming second in the engineering department. He became a student of the Institution of Civil Engineers.

Personal life

Booth married one of the daughters of Francis Tring Pearce, director of the Priday, Metford and Company Limited. He was a friend of Hugh Pembroke Vowles.

Early career

In December 1892 he entered the drawing office of Messrs Maudslay Sons & Field, Lambeth, London under Mr Charles Sells.He worked on the design of two Royal Navy battleships. Booth also invented an early version of the vacuum cleaner. He received a patent for his work on August 30th 1901. Booth provided a demonstration of the vacuum at a restaurant also in 1901. Before Booth introduced his version of the vacuum cleaner, all vacuums blew dirt away, instead of sucking it up. All modern vacuums are based on Booth's principle.

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