Thomas Aveling
(see here
and search),
bapt 1 Nov 1824,
"father of the traction engine",
"the inventor of the steam roller",
mar 1850 to
Sarah Lake and had issue,
set up in business 1851
in Rochester, Kent,
developing steam-powered farm machinery,
he developed the first steam powered plough in 1856,
moved to Strood, Kent, 1860,
in 1862 he founded with his partner Richard Thomas Porter
the
agricultural engine and steam roller manufacturer
Aveling and Porter,
they developed the first practical steam-powered road roller 1865,
they became Britain's biggest steam roller company, exported across the world,
Chevalier of the
Legion d'Honneur,
Knight of the Order of Francis Joseph of Austria,
died 7 Mar 1882 in Rochester, Kent, age 57 yrs,
bur parish churchyard,
Hoo St Werburgh,
Kent
(see grave),
there is a
stained glass window
to his memory in the parish church.
Fred Dibnah
drives an
Aveling and Porter steam roller.
Aveling and Porter machines in Thomas the Tank Engine