Correspondence of Francis Maceroni

Administrative / Biographical History

Maceroni was born in Manchester in 1788. His father, Peter Augustus Maceroni, had served in a French regiment in the American War of Independence along with two of his sons, and, after a roving life, he settled down at Manchester. Francis married the daughter of Benjamin Widsmith in 1786 and moved in London in 1792. In a long a varied career Maceroni served as a aides-de-camp to Joachim Murat, was the author of several books and became an inventor of note. His most important invention was for a 'steam carriage' to be used on the roads, a patent was taken out and successful trials competed on the turnpike road towards Kilburn from Paddington. Around 1839 he was living at 3 St. James Street, London.