England's Northwest led the world in the Industrial Revolution. Here is a summary of some proud moments of innovation, from the famous splitting of the atom to the less well-known breakthroughs across the years.

1639: TRANSIT OF VENUS
Salfordian William Crabtree greatly improved knowledge concerning the movement of planets. His friendship with Liverpudlian Jeremiah Horrox led to them jointly becoming the first to witness the transit of the planet Venus across the sun.

1773: OBSTETRICS
Doctor Charle White pioneered many new practices in obstetrics including the use of fresh water and fresh air for women after giving birth. His book, "The Management of Pregnant and Lying- in Women" of 1773, marked a great leap forward in midwifery.

1783: STEAM POWERED MILL
Richard Arkwright set up the first mill to use steam power on Miller Street in Manchester city centre. This marked the move away from natural power sources such as water and paved the way for mass production techniques.

1800: HENRY'S LAW
This law concerning the solubility of gases was formulated by Manchester doctor, William Henry (1774-1836).

1803: ATOMIC THEORY, METEOROLOGY, COLOUR BLINDNESS
John Dalton was the scientific colossus of early industrial Manchester. His atomic theory with its pioneering work on the constitution of elements was the precursor of all modern chemistry whilst his lectures on meteorology turned the study of the weather into a science. He was also the first to describe colour blindness.

1825: ELECTRO-MAGNET
Adopted Mancunian William Sturgeon (1783-1850) discovered the electro-magnet which would later assist in the development of such items as the electric telegraph and electric motor.

1830: PRECISION ENGINEERING
Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803-87) was the father of precision engineering. His work finding true planes allowed him to gain accuracies in tool making up to 0.000001 inch. He was also the first to develop a standard screw thread and the first to design a mechanical street cleaner.

1840: STEAM HAMMER
Invented 1840 by James Nasmyth at his Patricroft works: the hammer enabled huge iron components to be shaped.

1843: FIRST LAW IN THERMODYNAMICS
This law of physics concerning the mechanical equivalence of heat was discovered by Salford-born James Prescott Joule (1819-89) whose work is commemorated by the international name for the unit of energy, the "joule".

1853: MICROPHOTOGRAPHY
John Benjamin Dancer working from 43 Cross Street Manchester invented microphotography and microfilms. He also developed a spring contact breaker for electric bells and stethoscopic camera.

1880: SUBMARINE
The first mechanically powered submarine was launched in 1880 to the designs of eccentric Hulme curate, the Rev. George Garrett. He also invented an armour plated mortar-board for academies under attack.

1896: INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
The first purpose built industrial estate was Trafford Park.

1908: BRITISH AEROPLANE AND AVIATOR
Local man A.V.Roe designed and flew the first totally British plane. The plane was described as a "damaged toast rack, imitating a motor-car". He had already claimed, unofficially, to be the first Briton to fly earlier that year. Roe pioneered the enclosed cock-pit and single joystick. In 1928 one of his Avro Avians, made in Manchester, became the first plane to complete a solo flight to Australia.

1919: SPLITTING THE ATOM
Ernest Rutherford working at Manchester University discovered how to split the atom.

1932: WATERPROOFS
Glasgow born, Manchester mill owner, Charles Mackintosh, took out a patent in 1825 for practical waterproof fabric. He gave his name to the raincoat. Crease proof fabric was the work of Manchester company Tootal Broadhurst Lee in 1932.

1948: COMPUTERS
The first computer with a stored programme and memory, nicknamed "Baby", was developed at Manchester University by professors Tom Kilburn and Fred Williams. Before this, computers had been simple calculating machines.

1948: CLOUD CHAMBERS
Patrick Blackett (1897-1974), Professor of Physics at Manchester University wins a Nobel Prize for his work on the use of cloud chambers in particle research.

1957: LOVELL TELESCOPE
Lovell built a radio telescope at Jodrell Bank. In 1957 he used it to track Sputnik, the world's first satellite, which was built by the Soviet Union. Lovell's telescope was the only instrument in existence capable of doing so.

1960's: SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
Ian Munro recognised how synchrotron X-rays could be useful to scientists outside physics. Synchrotron radiation is now an indispensable tool for biologists and chemists. The smoothness of chocolate, the colour of lobsters and some of the fundamental processes of life itself have all been unravelled at Daresbury.

1988: BETA BLOCKERS
Sir James Black - Nobel Prize in Medicine for the development of beta blockers - Alderley Park, Cheshire