John Munro

Born in 1849 and associated closely with Bristol, John Munro was a British mechanical engineer, teacher, and writer. Sources describe him as a professor of mechanical engineering at Bristol, and one record notes that he spent decades on the teaching staff connected with the Merchant Venturers' Technical College before retiring in 1919.

Alongside his engineering work, he became known for clear, popular writing about science and technology. His books include Heroes of the Telegraph, Pioneers of Electricity, and The Story of Electricity, all aimed at making big technical ideas readable for a general audience.

He also wrote early science fiction. His best-known imaginative work is A Trip to Venus (1897), and reference sources also credit him with the shorter tales Sun-Rise in the Moon and A Message from Mars. He died on December 19, 1930.