Robert Davidson

Robert Davidson (18 April 1804 – 16 November 1894) was a Scottish inventor who built the first known electric four wheeled car in 1839 and in 1842 the first known electric locomotive. He was a lifelong resident of Aberdeen, northeast Scotland, where he was a prosperous chemist and dyer, amongst other ventures. Davidson was educated at Marischal College, where he studied second and third year classes from 1819-1821,

Later he exhibited at the Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly in London, where he hoped to attract sponsorship for his work. Among the machines shown were his locomotive, an electrically driven lathe and printing press, and an electromagnet capable of lifting 2 tons.

Davidson's legacy He has been described as a forgotten hero and electrical visionary. He could not interest the rail companies; the technology he employed was too expensive. and the manufacture of perfumes were so remunerative that it allowed him to indulge his many interests of astronomy, collecting of fine china, valuable pictures and a large collection of violins.