Lewis Temple: The Blacksmith Who Revolutionised the Whaling Industry
The Inventor Who Changed Whaling Forever
In the midst of the 19th-century whaling boom, an African American blacksmith named Lewis Temple created an invention so revolutionary that maritime historian Clifford Ashley called it “the single most important invention in the whole history of whaling.” Lewis Temple (1800 – 18 May 1854) was an American maker of items used in whaling, blacksmith, abolitionist, and inventor. His innovation—the toggle harpoon—transformed an entire industry and helped drive economic prosperity in New England.
From Slavery to Innovation
He was born in slavery in Richmond, Virginia, and moved to the whaling village of New Bedford, Massachusetts during the 1820s, where he worked as a blacksmith. By 1836, Temple was one of the 315,000 free Black people in the United States and a successful businessman who operated a whale craft shop on the New Bedford waterfront. Despite never receiving formal education, Temple’s skill and resourcefulness allowed him to thrive in one of America’s most important maritime centres.
The Revolutionary Toggle Harpoon
Based on conversations with whalers who visited his shop to have their whaling tools made and to purchase harpoons, Temple learned that many whales had escaped because the harpoons used at the time were not particularly effective in holding a struggling whale. In 1848, Lewis Temple invented a new type of harpoon with a movable head that prevented the whale from slipping loose. Temple developed Temple’s toggle iron, a two two-piece harpoon that penetrated the whale’s body and, unlike all previous designs, allowed the fluted part to pivot on an axle by ninety degrees (i.e., ‘toggle’), thereby making it all but impossible for the whale to break free from the harpoon.
However, after some trials, most whaling captains were convinced that Temple’s “Toggle Iron” was far superior to the ordinary barbed head harpoon. The innovation became the industry standard and helped New Bedford become one of America’s wealthiest cities.
A Tragic End to a Remarkable Life
Lewis Temple never patented his invention but made a good living from his harpoon sales. His failure to patent the design meant others freely copied and profited from his work. Temple accidentally fell one night while walking near the construction site of his new shop. He never fully recovered from his injuries. Temple was unable to return to work and died destitute in May 1854.
Today, a life-size statue of Lewis Temple examining his creation is on a pedestal outside the New Bedford Free Public Library. His legacy endures as a testament to innovation, perseverance, and the often-overlooked contributions of African Americans to America’s industrial history. Lewis Temple’s toggle harpoon remained the standard whaling tool until the mid-20th century, proving that one person’s ingenuity can indeed change the world.