网页James Watt was born on 19 January 1736 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, the eldest of the five surviving children of Agnes Muirhead (1703–1755) and James Watt (1698–1782). [3] Watt was baptised on 25 January 1736 at Old West Kirk, in Greenock. [4] His mother came from a distinguished family, was well educated and said to be of forceful character, while his father was a shipwright, ship owner and ...