Fonds
John Smeaton 1724-1792 Letterbooks
Catalogue reference: John Smeaton
What’s it about?
This record is about the John Smeaton 1724-1792 Letterbooks dating from 1764-1785.
Is it available online?
Maybe, but not on The National Archives website. This record is held at Institution of Civil Engineers.
Can I see it in person?
Not at The National Archives, but you may be able to view it in person at Institution of Civil Engineers.
Full description and record details
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Reference (The unique identifier to the record described, used to order and refer to it)
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John Smeaton
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Title (The name of the record)
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John Smeaton 1724-1792 Letterbooks
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Date (When the record was created)
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1764-1785
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Description (What the record is about)
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The Smeaton archive consists of a private letter book 1764, 4 volumes of Machine Letters 1781-90 (copies of letters sent), and 4 volumes of published reports. Only volumes 1 & 2 of the machine letters have been fully catalogued.
There is a typescript copy of the 1764 letterbook and microfilm copies of the machine letterbooks.
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Held by (Who holds the record)
- Institution of Civil Engineers
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Language (The language of the record)
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English
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Creator(s) (The creator of the record)
- <persname>Smeaton, John, 1724-1792, civil engineer</persname>
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Physical description (The amount and form of the record)
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Approx 335
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Immediate source of acquisition (When and where the record was acquired from)
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This letter book was acquired by Sir Alexander Gibb and presented to the Institution of Civil Engineers, with many of his historical papers in September 1972. It contains Smeatons' private and personal incoming and outgoing correspondence for 1764.
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Administrative / biographical background (Historical or biographical information about the creator of the record and the context of its creation)
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John Smeaton was the first person to call himself a civil engineer and to talk of the civil engineering profession. He was a founding member of the Society of Civil Engineers or 'Smeatonians' in 1771. Smeaton's most famous work was the Eddystone Lighthouse off the coast of Plymouth.
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Record URL
- https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/dabdf328-405b-4919-9a90-e7cb89b0f286/
Catalogue hierarchy
This record is held at Institution of Civil Engineers
You are currently looking at the fonds: John Smeaton
John Smeaton 1724-1792 Letterbooks