Education
Born in Dublin, Oldham was apprenticed to an engraver there, but then became a miniature-painter.
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John Oldham
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He invented a numbering machine, which in 1809 he unsuccessfully offered to the bank of Newry for numbering their banknotes. In 1812 the machine was adopted by the Bank of Ireland, and he received the appointment of engineer and chief engraver. In 1837 Oldham entered the service of the Bank of England, where he introduced improvements in the machinery for printing and numbering banknotes.
This machinery continued in use until 1852-1853, when the system of surface-printing was adopted.
He died at his house in Montagu Street, Russell Square, London, on 14 February 1840. Oldham also paid attention to marine propulsion, and in 1817 he obtained a patent (Number 4169) for propelling ships by means of paddles worked by a steam-engine, an attempt to imitate the motion of a paddle when used by a human.
In 1820 he patented a further improvement (Number 4249), the paddles being placed on a shaft across the ship, and caused to revolve, being feathered by an adaptation of the gearing used in the former patent. lieutenant was used in the Aaron Manby, the first seagoing iron ship.
A further development of the idea resulted in the construction of a feathering paddle-wheel, which was patented in 1827 (Number 5455).
Oldham"s system of warming buildings, introduced into the Bank of Ireland, and subsequently into the Bank of England, was described in the Civil and Architect"s Journal, 1839, p. 96.
Oldham left a family of 17 children. He died at Brussels on 7 November 1851.
