Pile-sawing engine, Westminster, London
Date
1738
Creator
After
John Smeaton (1724 - 1792, British) , Civil engineer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (page): 530mm
width (page): 390mm
width (page): 390mm
Subject
Description
Perspective view of a man powered pile-sawing engine; a device to saw off the piles used to support the foundation of buildings and bridges. No scale given. A sectional view of the top of the engine as it would appear above the River Thames with two men operating it from a float is visible in the top left corner [as viewed], and a detailed explanation of the device is given on the right.
This model was designed by carpenter William Etheridge and used to saw the piles of the first Westminster Bridge in London.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner ‘J June Sculp.’
Inscribed below ‘A Perspective View of the Engine made use of for Sawing off under Water, the Piles which help’d to support the Centers, for turning the Arches of WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. Most humbly Inscrib’d to the Right Hon.ble &c. The Commissioners for Building the said Bridge. By the Inventor Will.m Etheridge Carpenter.
C. Labelyne, delin’
Engraving 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 4. Containing Designs for Bridges and Buildings. 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.
This model was designed by carpenter William Etheridge and used to saw the piles of the first Westminster Bridge in London.
Inscribed in the bottom right corner ‘J June Sculp.’
Inscribed below ‘A Perspective View of the Engine made use of for Sawing off under Water, the Piles which help’d to support the Centers, for turning the Arches of WESTMINSTER BRIDGE. Most humbly Inscrib’d to the Right Hon.ble &c. The Commissioners for Building the said Bridge. By the Inventor Will.m Etheridge Carpenter.
C. Labelyne, delin’
Engraving 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 4. Containing Designs for Bridges and Buildings. 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