James gave up his plans to go to university after his mother's death

James Watt was born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1736. He came from a prosperous family. His grandfather, Thomas, was a math teacher, and his father, James, was a shipbuilder. Agnes Muirhead, his mother, was well-educated. He learned to read from her, while his father taught him arithmetic and writing.

In high school, James excelled in mathematics, science, and engineering, but his language skills were less impressive. His health was frequently poor, so he spent much of his time at home, where he relaxed by watching fishing boats return to port and large sailing ships arrive with tobacco from the Americas. Ships like these would one day be powered by engines rather than sails, thanks to his inventive mind.

James dropped out of university at the age of eighteen, after his mother died and a ship sank, putting a heavy financial burden on his family. Instead, he studied as a scientific instrument maker in London, specializing in mathematical and nautical instruments. Within two months, he had surpassed the skills of others who had been in training for two years. Workers at his father's shipyard in Greenock had previously remarked on his exceptional hand skills. After a year in London, he found work repairing instruments for the astronomy department at Glasgow University.