To slightly amplify Kelvin's reply, Raistrick used the Sales Book for the Coalbookdale Works, which exists to 1738 and the Cash Book, which survives to 1758. The latter records cash gratuities paid to workmen for difficult jobs such as casting cylinders or pipes and Raistrick was of the opinion that it was a good measure of the foundry work that was done. It appears that it is not possible to identify customers from this source, simply that an engine was being made.
Three engines were made for Joseph Hornblower from 1734-6, although in 1735 he is described as being from Birmingham, not Cornwall. After 1738, the customers for at least some of the engines (including the one made in 1742) cannot be easily identified as the only record is the cash book. One way of partially reconciling Barton's statement with the surviving records would be if 4 engines were supplied to Hornblower, but this took place over a number of years with the final one in 1742.
As far as I know, the sales and cash books are now at Shropshire Archives.
David
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of SCMC
Sent: 02 October 2013 23:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: newcomen engine cylinders
Hi Rick,
There are a few scattered references to the Hornblowers and cylinders from the Coalbrookdale Co. in "Dynasty of Iron Founders" by Arthur Raistrick. A paper mentioned by Raistrick: "Norris, W.G., Appendix I to 'The Newcomen Engine' by H.Davey, Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., 1903 - seems to cover the period you are looking at.
In appendix 6 of Raistrick he lists steam engine cylinders made and supplied by the Coalbrookdale Company between 1722 and 1748, based on the Coalbrookdale Sales Books, the Coalbrookdale Cash Books and the Stanley Davies list in Trans. Newcomen Soc. (see below). However, it only shows 1 cylinder being made in 1742. The last mention of Hornblower is Dec. 1736.
Unfortunately the list of Newcomen engines in "The Steam Engine of Thomas Newcomen" by Rolt & Allen stops in 1733!
A couple of Transactions of the Newcomen Society that might have something
are:
"The Coalbrookdale Company and the Newcomen Engine, 1717-1769', Davis, A.
Stanley. Trans. XX, 1939-40
"Engineering in Cornwall before 1775", Harris, T.R. Trans, XXV, 1945-47.
Sorry I can't provide anything more specific.
Kelvin Lake
Shropshire Caving & Mining Club
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ^o^ Visit us on the web: www.shropshirecmc.org.uk
Dear List
Could someone point me in the direction of a source of information on Newcomen engine cylinders cast by the Coalbrookdale Company. I am particulary trying to tie down an unreferenced statement in Barton's "Cornish Beam Engine" (1966 ed. p.19):
"In 1742 alone the Coalbrookdale Company supplied Hornblower with no less than five cylinders which quite possibly were intended for Engines on William Lemon's copper mines in Gwennap".
I am also interested in Hornblower's relationship with Lemon.
many thanks
Rick Stewart
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