John Austin (inventor)

John Austin (17 April 1752 – 1830), was a Scottish inventor, known for inventing musical equipment, improvements to weaving machines, and a new system of stenography.

He published at Glasgow, in or about 1800, a system of Stenography which may be learned in an hour, on a single folio engraved sheet, price 2s.

Dedicated to the Musical World, in English, French, Italian, German, and other Languages, (Glasgow, 50 engraved pages, oblong folio, no date, c. 1802).

According to a review in The Scots Magazine (lxv, 1803, p. 165), the system was taught in several boarding schools near Edinburgh, in addition to Herriot and Watson's Hospital.

Another publication about a musical invention, Tonometer (London, c. 1800), describes a mechanical aid for transposition and tuning using movable brass wheels.