About James McAdam
Lived 1801 – 1861 (aged 59–60). James McAdam was a geologist and naturalist.
James MacAdam (1801, Belfast – 1861) was an Irish naturalist and geologist.
MacAdam was born to James MacAdam and his wife Jane Shipboy, who ran a hardware shop in High Street, Belfast.
His younger brother Robert Shipboy MacAdam was his business partner in the Soho Foundry in Townsend Street which they had established in 1846. At its height in the 1850s, the firm had a workforce of 250 and an international reputation for the production of turbine engines (horizontal water wheels developed in France by Benoît Fourneyron). Robert was an antiquary and leading Irish-language revivalist.
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Important facts
People in James McAdam's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was James McAdam?
Irish scientist (1801–1861)
When was James McAdam born?
James McAdam was born in 1801.
When did James McAdam die?
James McAdam died in 1861.
What was James McAdam's occupation?
James McAdam was a geologist and naturalist.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). James McAdam. https://biography.guide/james-mcadam/
MLA: "James McAdam." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/james-mcadam/.
Chicago: "James McAdam." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/james-mcadam/.
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