Born in Sunderland, he studied chemistry and moved to Tyneside where, after many years of persistent effort, he created the first successful 'incandescent filament electric lamp' - the light bulb.

What drove the news: Three outdoor bulbs were placed near the Walker Brothers ... fifth city in the world to install centrally-operated electric street lights. Get more local stories in your ...

Born in Sunderland, he studied chemistry and moved to Tyneside where, after many years of persistent effort, he created the first successful 'incandescent filament electric lamp' - the light bulb.