Uploaded February 2025 | Updated September 2026, 51 minutes ago
Using patent illustrations and an old photograph discovered online, Thomas Glenday, Head of #Design and Technical Services, and his team at the Department of #Engineering, brought the 7ft #Venn bowling machine back to life, using materials that would have been available at the time such as high-quality hardwood.
The contraption – created in the early 1900s by Dr John Venn who first described what are now known as Venn diagrams – bowled out players from the Australian cricket team during a visit to Cambridge more than 100 years ago.
Discover more about Thomas, his team of technicians and design engineers, and the build itself at eng.cam.ac.uk/news/introducing-department-s-design-and-technical-services-home-diverse-range-expertise
(0:00) - Intro
(0:19) - Dr John Venn – the inventor
(1:00) - The Venn bowling machine in action
(1:12) - A closer look at how it works
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Credit information
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Photography:
Image 1 – "Dr John Venn" by permission of the Master and Fellows of @GonvilleCaiusCollege, Cambridge
Image 2 – "Demo of the Venn bowling machine, circa 1900s. Pictured, centre, is believed to be John Archibald Venn, the son of the machine's inventor Dr John Venn." Credit: Professor Yao Liang
Extra footage courtesy of – PNW Production from Pexels (Venn diagram on whiteboard) | Thomas Barker (overhead drone footage).
Using patent illustrations and an old photograph discovered online, Thomas Glenday, Head of #Design and Technical Services, and his team at the Department of #Engineering, brought the 7ft #Venn bowling machine back to life, using materials that would have been available at the time such as high-quality hardwood.
The contraption – created in the early 1900s by Dr John Venn who first described what are now known as Venn diagrams – bowled out players from the Australian cricket team during a visit to Cambridge more than 100 years ago.
Discover more about Thomas, his team of technicians and design engineers, and the build itself at eng.cam.ac.uk/news/introducing-department-s-design-and-technical-services-home-diverse-range-expertise
(0:00) - Intro
(0:19) - Dr John Venn – the inventor
(1:00) - The Venn bowling machine in action
(1:12) - A closer look at how it works
---
Credit information
---
Photography:
Image 1 – "Dr John Venn" by permission of the Master and Fellows of @GonvilleCaiusCollege, Cambridge
Image 2 – "Demo of the Venn bowling machine, circa 1900s. Pictured, centre, is believed to be John Archibald Venn, the son of the machine's inventor Dr John Venn." Credit: Professor Yao Liang
Extra footage courtesy of – PNW Production from Pexels (Venn diagram on whiteboard) | Thomas Barker (overhead drone footage).
