Powder mill, Waltham Abbey, Essex
Date
1771
Creator
John Smeaton (1724 - 1792, British) , Civil engineer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 245mm
width (page): 335mm
width (page): 335mm
Subject
Description
Sectional views of four parts required to connect the waterwheel axis to the tumbling shaft of a mill at Waltham Abbery. The cross gudgeon and hoop for the waterwheel axis are visible on the left [as viewed], and the cast iron-box for the tumbling axis on the right.
Signed and dated in the bottom right corner and inscribed ‘Design for connecting the water wheel axis with the tumbling shaft for Mr. Walton’s powder mill at Waltham Abbey.
Plan and Profile of the cross gudgeon and hoop […]’
Original drawing from Designs by the late John Smeaton made on various occasions in the course of his employment as a Civil Engineer from the year 175[?] to 179[?], Volume 2. Containing Designs for Mills and Hydraulic Engines. Collected and arranged by John Farey, 1821.
John Smeaton (1724-1792) was a British civil engineer, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1753.
John Farey (1766-1826) was a British geologist and surveyor, he worked on the published reports of John Smeaton’s work between 1809 and 1812.
Signed and dated in the bottom right corner and inscribed ‘Design for connecting the water wheel axis with the tumbling shaft for Mr. Walton’s powder mill at Waltham Abbey.
Plan and Profile of the cross gudgeon and hoop […]’
Original drawing from Designs by the late John Smeaton made on various occasions in the course of his employment as a Civil Engineer from the year 175[?] to 179[?], Volume 2. Containing Designs for Mills and Hydraulic Engines. Collected and arranged by John Farey, 1821.
John Smeaton (1724-1792) was a British civil engineer, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1753.
John Farey (1766-1826) was a British geologist and surveyor, he worked on the published reports of John Smeaton’s work between 1809 and 1812.
Object history
Smeaton’s Designs were received by bequest of Mr Edward Farey in November 1913 as indicated in the copies of outgoing correspondence bound in the New Letter Books of the Royal Society, NLB/49/185 and NLB/49/312.
The collection was originally purchased after Smeaton’s death in 1795 by Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society and member of the Committee of the Smeaton Society of Civil Engineers. The committee undertook to publish a comprehensive selection of reports on the drawings which was entrusted to John Farey sr (1766-1826) and assisted by his better-known son John Farey jr (1791-1851) mechanical engineer and Fellow of the Royal Society. The work began in 1809 and resulted in three published volumes, Reports of the late John Smeaton FRS, made on various occasions of his employment as a civil engineer, London, 1812.
The collection was originally purchased after Smeaton’s death in 1795 by Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society and member of the Committee of the Smeaton Society of Civil Engineers. The committee undertook to publish a comprehensive selection of reports on the drawings which was entrusted to John Farey sr (1766-1826) and assisted by his better-known son John Farey jr (1791-1851) mechanical engineer and Fellow of the Royal Society. The work began in 1809 and resulted in three published volumes, Reports of the late John Smeaton FRS, made on various occasions of his employment as a civil engineer, London, 1812.
Associated place