Meet Patrick Cunningham, a shoemaker turned weapons engineer. He was an inventor from the late 19th century known for inventing a torpedo which he fired down a high street during the 1896 presidential elections.
Patrick Cunningham was an Irish shoemaker who immigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts from Dundalk at the age of nine. He trained with his father to become a cobbler, but joined the Union Navy during the American Civil War where he learnt about, and became interested in, engineering and explosives.
On October 31 1896, towards the end of the presidential election, Cunningham fired the torpedo down New Bedford's high street during a rally for the Republican candidate. The torpedo traveled haphazardly down the street before crashing into a shop which collapsed before the explosive detonated, causing massive structural damage to the surrounding buildings.
KD: Well, there it is then. Who needs education? All you need is passion. I like the contrast in the above image: tech vs environment. Is this where he found this torpedo, in his backyard?
I am not even sure that this projectile was actually a torpedo. It appears to consist of 4 screw-in parts.
This entire story is as bizarre as one can expect on this blog. The guy who torpedoes and whaling guns has no photograph, though he died in 1921. The one at the top cannot be really considered a photo of this guy. That "torpedo" image cannot be really considered as this guys picture.
So... who was this Patrick Cunningham?
Patrick Cunnigham
1844 - 1921
1844 - 1921
Patrick Cunningham was an Irish shoemaker who immigrated to New Bedford, Massachusetts from Dundalk at the age of nine. He trained with his father to become a cobbler, but joined the Union Navy during the American Civil War where he learnt about, and became interested in, engineering and explosives.
- During his brief stint in the Navy, Cunningham developed an interest in engineering and explosives.
- In June 1865 he jumped off the USS North Caroline and deserted the Navy.
- The charge of desertion was later removed from his service records in 1892.
The Torpedo
In 1892 Cunningham built a 17 foot long torpedo capable of carrying 125 pounds of explosive; ownership of the explosive went to the company of which he was president. The torpedo did not have propellers or screws as was typical for torpedoes, but instead had spirals around its body, in order to make it spin similar to that of a bullet fired from a rifle. It was tested at the U.S. Naval Torpedo Station in July 1893, and found to be unsuitable for use due to its short range and poor trajectory.- Patrick Cunningham in his whaling yard in New Bedford
- Though no-one was killed multiple people were injured in the blast.
- Cunningham was arrested and charged with maliciously destroying a building.
Sources:KD: Well, there it is then. Who needs education? All you need is passion. I like the contrast in the above image: tech vs environment. Is this where he found this torpedo, in his backyard?
I am not even sure that this projectile was actually a torpedo. It appears to consist of 4 screw-in parts.
This entire story is as bizarre as one can expect on this blog. The guy who torpedoes and whaling guns has no photograph, though he died in 1921. The one at the top cannot be really considered a photo of this guy. That "torpedo" image cannot be really considered as this guys picture.
So... who was this Patrick Cunningham?
