Inventor and designer of engines. Born Kensington. He worked with Sebastian de Ferranti and the cinema pioneer William Friese-Greene to produce cameras, mutoscopes, cutting and perforation machines and projectors. He designed his first motorcycle engine in 1901, made the first overhead-valve V-twin in 1906 and patented a desmodromic valve in 1923. Died Wood Green.
His birth date from Clan Barker differs from that on the plaque.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
John Alfred Prestwich
John Alfred Prestwich, 1874 - 1952, inventor and designer of engines, founded...
Born Louis Winogradsky (anglicised as Lew Grade) in Tokmak, near Odessa, Ukraine. In 1912 his family emigrated to London to escape antisemitism. He started his career as a dancer and arranged enter...
Founded by journalist Eric George, who wanted to draw attention to the magnificent "cinema theatre" movie palaces of the twenties and thirties that were beginning to disappear from our towns and ci...
British film pioneer. Born in Fife, raised in Edinburgh. Came south as a master chemist. Became interested in photography and X-ray photography. 1896 he introduced the first programme of films t...
Actor, director, teacher, author. Born Hackney. Graduate of RADA. Invited by Olivier to be a founding member of the National Theatre. Professor of theatre at University of Hawaii at Manoa. Accordi...
Actor. Born Michael Christopher Sheen in Newport, Wales. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he made his stage debut in 1991 playing opposite Vanessa Redgrave in 'When She Danced'....
Comedian. Born as Michael James Bentin in Watford, Hertfordshire. He was a co-founder of the Goon Show, but left after the first series to pursue a solo career. His best remembered television progr...
Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.
