As the UK slips into its worst recession for 100 years, we think it’s time we took stock of the technologies that have advanced our everyday lives and to sing the praises of the inventors who truly put the great into Great Britain.

So fire up your American-designed, Chinese-made MP3 player, crack open another can of East European lager and join us on our journey through 15 of the very, very best British inventions.

And for the cynics among you (whisper it) we’re also owning up to some of the worst. Ready?

The 15 best British tech inventions ever

15. The television
The Idiot’s Lantern is actually a British invention, dreamed up by ScotsmanJohn Logie Baird in February 1924. The first public demonstration of his semi-mechanical televisor was held at Selfridges a year later, but it wasn’t until 1928 that Baird showed off a proper working version. The same year, Baird also began experimenting with colour TV and in 1932 made the first TV broadcast between London and Glasgow.

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