Private Copy Press Letter Book

This volume is entitled on the front cover, 'J. Watt's private Letters to Mr. Boulton & Mr. Keir. April 1780 to April 1781. Also loose letters from June 21 1781 to March 13 1782 from Cornwall.'

It has a paper cover. It contains ninety-six pages with ninety-eight letters from James Watt, most of which are copy-press and have been pasted into the volume in chronological order.
Two letters, that to (-) on p. 55 and one to Lowe, Vere & Williams on p. 85 are not copy-press letters. There are also two draft papers at the end, not pasted in, which are not copy-press.
There are three loose copy- press pages found between pages 4 and 5, not dated.These are listed before the letters commence. Two copy- press pages were found loose between pages 44 and 45, dated 4 Sep. 1780. A group of nineteen copy-press letters appear to be those described in the title as written by Watt from Cornwall, and have been listed at the end of those pasted in, (now nos. 73 to 91). A further small group of letters, including three by Matthew Boulton, had at one time been held together by a paper stud [not present]. These are listed at the end (now nos. 92 to 98).
The pages and entries have now been numbered, but these numbers are not original. Pages 62 and 63 are blank and pages 86 to 96 inclusive are blank.
There was no index. Of the copy-press letters pasted in the volume, are all in Watt's hand, except one, no. 4 below. Of the loose ones, three are by Matthew Boulton. Most of the letters were written at Birmingham, except for the group of nineteen written from Cusgarne, Cornwall.

CONTENTS Folio
Page
1. Directions for using Copy Press. (3 pcs) 1.
2. Directions for Assembling the Rollers. 4.
(This item is a loose sheet found between pages 4 & 5.)
3. Directions for using Copy Press. (2 pcs) 4.
(This item is two loose sheets found between pages 4 & 5.)
4. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 9 Apr. 1780. (2 pcs) 5.
5. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 15 Apr. 1780. 5.
6. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Lean. 8 Apr. 1780. 6.
7. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 11 Apr. 1780. (2 pcs.) 7.
8. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 12 Apr. 1780. (2 pcs) 8.
9. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 13 Apr. 1780. (4 pcs) 9.
10. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 16 Apr. 1780. (2 pcs) 11.
11. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 15 Apr. 1780. (3 pcs) 11.
12. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 18 Apr. 1780. (2 pcs) 13.
13. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 21 Apr. 1780. (2 pcs) 14.
14. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 22 Apr. 1780. 15.
15. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 26 Apr. 1780. (3 pcs) 15.
16. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 24 Apr. 1780. 17.
17. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 28 Apr. 1780. (3 pcs) 17.
18. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 26 Apr. 1780. 18.
19. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 29 Apr. 1780. (3 pcs) 18.
20. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 30 Apr. 1780. (3 pcs) 21.
21. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 1 May 1780. (2 pcs) 23.
22. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 1 May 1780. (3 pcs) 24.
23. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 2 May 1780. (2 pcs) 26.
23. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 3 May 1780. (2 pcs) 27.
24. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 4 May 1780. 28.
25. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 8 May 1780. (3 pcs) 28.
26. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 9 May 1780. (2 pcs) 30.
27. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Lean. 9 May 1780. 31.
28. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 18 May 1780. (3 pcs) 31.
29. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 19 May 1780. 33.
30. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 21 May 1780. (3 pcs) 33.
31. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). ? 1780. (4 pcs) 35.
32. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 31 May 1780. 37.
33. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 1 Jun. 1780. (3 pcs.) 37.
34. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 2 Jun. 1780. (3 pcs) 39.
35. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 13 Jun. 1780. (2 pcs) 41.
36. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 9 Jul. 1780. (2 pcs) 42.
37. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 10 Jul. 1780. (2 pcs) 43.
38. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 11 Jul. 1780. 44.
39. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 23 Sep. 1780. (3 pcs.) 44.
40. Receipt for Ink Powder. 4 Sep. 1780. 45.
(This item is two loose sheets found between pages 44 and 45
41. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 2 Oct. 1780. 46.
42. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 3 Oct. 1780. ( 5 pcs.) 46.
43. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 7 Oct. 1780. (3 pcs.) 49.
44. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 29 Oct. 1780. 50.
45. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 30 Oct. 1780. (2 pcs.) 51.
46. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). 31 Oct. 1780. (3 pcs.) 52.
47. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Woodmason. 25 Apr. 1780. 55.
48. James Watt (Birmingham) to (-). ?. 55.
49. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 16 Nov. 1780. (3 pcs.) 56.
50. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Matthews. 28 Dec. 1780. (3 pcs.) 58.
51. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 5 Jan. 1781. (2 pcs.) 59.
52. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Matthews. 12 Jan. 1781. 60.
53. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 28 Mar. 1781. (3 pcs.) 60.
(Page numbers 62 & 63 have been missed out, presumably through error.)
54. James Watt (Birmingham) to Mr. Keir. 24 Mar. 1781. (3 pcs.) 64.
55. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 24 Mar. 1781. (2 pcs.) 65.
56. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 29 Mar. 1781. (3 pcs.) 66.
57. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 31 Mar. 1781. (2 pcs.) 68.
58. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 2 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 69.
59. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 4 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 70.
60. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 7 Apr. 1781. (3 pcs.) 71.
61. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 15 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 72.
62. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 16 Apr. 1781. 73.
63. James Watt (Birmingham) to Dr. Joseph Black. 9 Apr. 1781. (4 pcs.) 74.
64. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 10 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 76.
65. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 24 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 77.
66. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 13 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 78.
67. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 22 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 79.
68. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 21 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 80.
69. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 26 Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 81.
70. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. 28 Apr. 1781. 82.
71. James Watt (Birmingham) to Matthew Boulton. ? Apr. 1781. (2 pcs.) 83.
72. Draft letter. James Watt (-) to Lowe Vere & Williams. July 1782. 85.
(This item is not a press - copy.)

Loose copy-press letters, now at the end of those pasted in, viz:-

73. James Watt (Cusgarne) to William Matthews. 11 Feb. 1781. (3 pcs.)
74. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Thomas Handley. 21 Jun. 1781. (3 pcs.)
75. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Gilbert Hamilton. 23 Jul. 1781. (2 pcs.)
76. James Watt (Cusgarne) to David Watson. 23 Jul. 1781. (2 pcs.)
77. James Watt (Cusgarne) to David Watson. 16 Aug. 1781.
78. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Mr McGrigor. 16 Aug. 1781.
79. James Watt (Cusgarne) to William Craig. 10 Sep. 1781. (3 pcs..)
80. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Jean [?Cochrane]. 1 Oct. 1781. (2 pcs.)
81. James Watt (Cusgarne) to ?Mary [?Campbell]. ?8 Oct. 1781. (2 pcs.)
82. James Watt (Cusgarne) to James Watt jr. 15 Oct. 1781.
83. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Mr Pickering. 15 Oct. 1781.
84. James Watt (Cusgarne) to David Watson. 28 Dec. 1781.
85. James Watt (Cusgarne) to William Withering. 29 Dec. 1781. (2 pcs.)
86. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Joseph Rathbone. 15 Jan. 1782.
87. James Watt (Cusgarne) to William Withering. 19 Jan. 1782. (2 pcs.)
88. James Watt (Cusgarne) to (--)[?Charles Clagget]. 11 Feb. 1782.
89. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Gilbert Hamilton. 5 Mar. 1782. (3 pcs.)
90. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Jean [Cochrane]. 5 Mar. 1782.
91. James Watt (Cusgarne) to Josiah Wedgwood. 13 Mar. 1782. (2 pcs.)

Miscellaneous:

92. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to Lowe Vere & Williams. 8 Jul. 1782. (2 pcs.)
93. Matthew Boulton (Soho) to Robert Cameron. 14 - 1782. (2 pcs.)
94. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to William Chapman. 6 May 1783. (2 pcs.)
95. James Watt [Birmingham] to William Chapman. nd.
96. Part of a letter by James Watt (--) to [--]. nd.
97. Draft paper (not copy-press) by James Watt about a petition concerning fossil alkali. nd.
98. Draft letter (not copy-press) by James Watt to [--]. nd.

END