Newcomen s Steam Engine (formerly called the fire engine) - An external combustion heat engine that makes use of the heat energy that exists in steam, converting it to mechanical work - represents probably the second Newcomen engine erected around 1714 at Griff colliery, Warwickshire. Thomas Newcomen (born 28 February 1663; died 5 August 1729) was an ironmonger by trade and a Baptist lay preacher by calling. He was born in Dartmouth, Devon, England, near a part of the country noted for its tin mines. Flooding was a major problem, limiting the depth at which the mineral could be mined. Newcomen perfected a practical steam engine for pumping water, the Newcomen steam engine. Consequently, he is often referred to as a father of the Industrial Revolution. Â UnitedArchives00934783