Record

Ref NoMS 3219/6/3/2/7
Finding NumberMS 3219/6/75
TitleLetters and papers concerning the death of James Watt, and his estate, especially the estate in Scotland
LevelFile
Date1819 - 1834
DescriptionThere is an original portfolio cover of cloth and boards covered in marbled paper. The label, in James Watt jr.'s writing reads:
'State of Affairs in Scotland. 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822, 3, 5, 6, 7, 1828, 9, 30, 31, 1832, 3, 4, 5, 1836.'

There are two sequences of papers.
The one sequence (57 items) has no wrapper. It begins with a list by James Watt jr. of 'My Father's Property in Scotland ' and a list of 'Friends seen in Edinburgh in June 1820.' The letters and papers appear to have been arranged by year, then in alphabetical order, with the letters of any one individual in chronological order. Most are correspondence with James Reddie, Joseph Reid and others concerning legacies to James Miller and family.
The annual, alphabetical and chronological order has been retained.
There are frequently copy press letters, forming the replies from James Watt jr., folded with the letter received by him.

The other sequence of papers (36 items) has been separated, folded in a paper on which James Watt jr. has written:
'Correspondence with Copies of Receipts to James Dennistoun Esq. From Aug[ust]1821 to 01 Jun[e] 1834.'
NB. I assigned over my Int[erest]s in the Heritable Bond of £8,700, to myself as Trustee for Mrs Gibson & family, in Aug[ust] 1833.
Mr James Dennistoun died 01 Jun[e] 1834.
On the 17 Mar[ch] 1836, I signed a discharge of Mr Dennistoun's Bond, & the Interest due thereon to Whitsunday (15 May) 1836 and transmitted it to Mr Miller 19 Mar[ch] 1836. 20 May 1836, The Bond was paid off.'
There is the original bond between Dennistoun and Watt from May 1793, at the end of the sequence.
Extent93
FormatItems
Related MaterialThe Watt and Muirhead papers were microfilmed by Adam Matthews publications as part of 'Industrial Revolution: A Documentary History'. 'Muirhead I' was published in Series One: parts 6 and 8, in 1997. The 'James Watt papers' were published in 'Series Three', 1999.
All the microfilms and their catalogues are available in Birmingham City Archives.
Access StatusOpen
LanguageEnglish
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