Symington, William

Symington, William (1763-1831), engineer, b. Leadhills, Lanarkshire, Scotland.

William Symington built the first steamboat to work successfully. It was called Charlotte Dundas and he made tests with it on the Forth and Clyde Canal in March 1802.

The Charlotte Dundas was going to be used as a tug to pull barges on the canal. But other engineers said that waves from the steamboat would damage the banks of the canal and after the tests it was never used again.