James Atkinson, a British gas engineer. In the late nineteenth century, he developed and brought to market a series of internal combustion engines, the principles of which fell outside the existing patents by Otto, Diesel, Benz and others. Though he fell largely into obscurity, the twenty-first century has seen a revival of interest in what has become known as the Atkinson Cycle. The Atkinson principle revolves around internal combustion engines who's compression stroke is markedly shorter than their expansion stroke. By this means, Atkinson achieved engines which, though less powerful than others, were somewhat more efficient. In an age when we are so concerned with carbon emissions, pollution and waste, several major automobile manufacturers have turned to the Atkinson Cycle in an attempt to produce more environmentally-friendly four-stroke automobile engines than have hitherto been available.

Born in Lancashire, we find James lodging in London by 1871. In 1874, he married Emily Grimer. By 1881, they had three children and were living in Edmonton. 1885 saw the introduction of Jame's Differential Engine which produced a power stroke on every revolution, using two pistons in one barrel. The expansion stroke was double the induction stroke. James was living in Hampstead. 1886 saw the introduction of his Cycle Engine, with simplified linkage and only one piston. Finally he produced his Utilite Engine. This was a two-valved two-stroke engine with a single piston driving a conventional driving crank and shaft but utilising a novel exhaust valve arrangement that maintained the true Atkinson Cycle. Fuel-air mixture was forced into the engine towards the end of the exhaust stroke..

Burial was at St Nicholas Church, Thames Ditton on 28th of March,1914, William A Haslam conducting proceedings. James had been living at St Leonard's Road, between the Convent and the Portsmouth Road. A preliminary search of both yards has not yet revealed the burial site. Born into engineering, James served his apprenticeship with Palmer Brothers, of Jarrow. He worked for the London and North Western Railway at Crewe, moving to his brother's company, Pattison and Atkinson, marine engineers. He was with the National Boiler Insurance Co. of Manchester before working as a consultant and then as marine superintendent engineer for George Palmer. In 1883 he founded the British Gas Engine and Engineering Company, where he developed his engines. The Utilite engine was not as successful as might have been hoped - the company folded in 1893 and James joined Crossley Brothers of Manchester, as their chief engineer. He retired in 1912 and moved south to Thames Ditton. We see, here, another British inventor, largely ignored in his lifetime and, in this case, the potential of his inventions being realised, abroad, one hundred years after his death.