Making it count for 125 years: Chapter 1

1893 was a year of many events; New Zealand became the first country to grant women the right to vote and the New York stock exchange faced a great crash. It was also the year in which Wilson Wright’s 125 year long journey began. Join us this year as we celebrate our 125th anniversary across 6 key chapters and invite you along the journey with us.

In this chapter we are going to focus on Nikola Tesla, who has been attracting attention a long time after his death in 1943. Many feel his achievements have not been credited, with many curriculums focusing on Thomas Edison. So, why was 1893 so critical to his story?

In 1887, Tesla filed for 7 patents in the field of polyphase AC motors and power transmission, which would turn out to be the most valuable patents since the telephone. An industrialist George Westinghouse later came to Tesla’s lab and made an offer, purchasing the patents. With the breakthrough provided by Tesla’s patents, a full-scale industrial war erupted on whether Westinghouse’s alternating current or Edison’s direct current would be the chosen technology. It was at this time that Edison launched a propaganda war against alternating current.

The Westinghouse Corporation won the bid for illuminating The Chicago World’s Fair, the first all-electric fair in history, opening on May 1st 1893. The fair was also called the Columbian Exposition — celebrating 400 years since Columbus discovered America. That evening, President Grover Cleveland pushed a button and a hundred thousand incandescent lamps illuminated the fairground’s neoclassical buildings. This “City of Light” was the work of Tesla and Westinghouse. 27 million people attended the fair and from that point forward more than 80% of all the electrical devices ordered in the United States were alternating current.

It is very apt that his name lives on in current times through Tesla Motors. The company previously stated: “Without Tesla‘s vision and brilliance, our car wouldn’t be possible. We’re confident that if he were alive today, Nikola Tesla would look over our 100 percent electric car and nod his head with both understanding and approval.”

Exactly one month after this fair, on 1st June 1893, Wilson Wright Chartered Accountants was established, taking their place in Loughborough Junction, SW9. We hope you enjoyed this flash back to 125 years ago and we look forward to introducing our next chapter soon..