John Harrison, widely regarded as one of Britain’s greatest inventors, will have his life and achievements celebrated with a special six stamp collection issued by the Isle of Man Post Office.
Harrison’s pièce de résistance, the marine chronometer, allowed ships to accurately calculate their longitude at sea for the first time, preventing catastrophic accidents and saving countless lives.
The stamp issue commemorates the 250th anniversary of Harrison’s death, and explores key aspects of his legacy, from his early wooden clocks to marine timekeepers that changed the world.
Island resident and distinguished horologist Dr John Taylor was heavily involved in curating the series. He said: “Few individuals have altered the course of history through such focussed, dogged determination as John Harrison.
“By harnessing the power of precision timekeeping, he unlocked the oceans and helped connect the world.”
The collection is set to be released today (Sunday) and is available online at iomstamps.com/collections/JohnHarrison.