| Description | These records are extremely miscellaneous in their scope and content. They include some extremely significant items such as the photographs of Soho Foundry at the time of its sale in 1895, and the photographs of the Great Eastern under construction in November 1857. These photographs are by Robert Howlett, with display label and note about the dimensions of the vessel (16 items) - [Reference is MS 3147/31/1].
Also included are several photographs, articles, letters and papers which describe George Tangye’s custody of the collection and the pride he took in having preserved the Boulton & Watt archives for Birmingham. Tangye and Kirton were particularly interested in William Murdock, so there are several items relating to him, including a small pamphlet about his locomotive published by Tangye’s in 1902. |
| AdminHistory | George Tangye, of the firm of Tangye Bros. of Cornwall Works, Smethwick, purchased the majority of the Boulton & Watt collection from James Watt & Co. in 1895, when the firm and its assets were being sold off by the Trustee. Tangye kept the collection in his own ‘Watt Room’ or ‘Watt Museum’ at the Cornwall Works until 1915, when the collection was moved to the Birmingham Library, the transfer to the city having been agreed in 1911. During his custody of the collection Tangye made several additions. He also lent several items out for loan, and he and his curator R. H. Kirton allowed several writers access to the collection. |