Joseph Clement (1779-1844) was the son of a weaver and amateur mechanic. By the time he began working for Henry Maudslay in 1815, Clement was already a highly capable engineer and draughtsman. He became Maudslay's chief designer and draughtsman.

Setting up in business alone in 1817, Clement produced 'the perfect in mechanism'. One of his projects was the construction of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine. This ancestor of today's computers established Clement at the 'cutting edge' of contemporary technology.