Joseph W. swan. interview

N.O: Hello I would like to start off by introducing myself, my name is nick, and you are?

Joseph: Hello my name is Joseph W. Swan, from Bishopwearmouth England my dear boy!

N.O: Okay can you just give me a little insight in what you do or have done?

Joseph: I am a Chemist, where I experiment with carbon filaments between the 1850’s and 60’s. Sir Thomas Edison was not the only inventor trying to invent a light bulb as you can see. I was one of his main competitors.

N.O: Okay. I heard you and Edison even worked together, Is this true? Mistake me if I’m wrong.

Joseph: Why yes. Yes we have, we shared ideas on similar topics.

N.O: In what year did you create the Incandescent Light Bulb? And how is it different from Thomas Edison’s light bulb?

Joseph: Thomas Edison created his in 1802, my Incandescent light bulb was presented in 1878 to the New Castle Society.

N.O: It almost seems like (outside of Great Britain) you are not credited for the creation of the light bulb. Why do you think this is?

Joseph: Like other inventors I used a carbon rod with a low electrical resistance in my lamp. Due to the relationship between resistance and current, a low resistance element, my carbon rod gave off light but did not last very long.

N.O: Did you and Edison ever collaborate in any other way?

Joseph: (cough! Cough!) well you see my dear boy! In America Edison had been working on copies of the original light bulb patented by me, trying to make them more electrical. He started a campaign stating he was the real inventor.

N.O: How did you feel about Edison’s campaign?

Joseph: I agreed Edison could sell the lights in America, while I retained rights in Britain.

N.O: Wow that’s amazing, Okay so we know about some of the awards Edison got: like the French legion of Honor, in 1881  Grand officer of the Crown in 1889. What are some of your achievements?

Joseph: Okay dear boy, Let me refresh my memory. In 1904 I was given Kighthood by king Edward Vll. In 1894 I was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, And I was  also given the Royal Society Hughes Medal.                                               obrien, nikolas. "lighting Revolution:joseph swan." americanhistory. americanhistory.com, 3/25/2011. Web. 25 Mar 2011. <http://americanhistory.si.edu/lighting/bios/swan.htm>      obrien, nikolas. "joseph swan." en.wikipedia.org. wikipedia, 3/25/2011. Web. 25 Mar 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Swan>.