| Description | This volume is entitled on the front cover in Matthew Boulton’s own hand, "M: B: Letter Copy Book, 1766 to 1768." It contains 84 pages, on which are written the drafts or transcripts of 51 letters. The pages and entries are now numbered, but these numbers are not original. Pages 24, 32, 69, and 83 are blank, and a portion of pages 81 and 82 has been cut away. Three unnumbered pages at the front contain an Index prepared by the Assay Office.
All the entries are in Boulton’s handwriting, except 45 and 47, which may have been written by John Scale. The place of writing is indicated in only a few cases, when it is either Soho or Birmingham, but it is possible that no distinction was intended by these names and that all the letters were written at Soho. The two earliest entries (1 and 2) are dated 22 Feb. 1766, but the book was not taken up again till July the following year, after which it was in fairly frequent use till September 1768.
A Transcript of 2 will be found after the table of Contents.
CONTENTS
Page
1. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to Samuel Garbett (London). 22 Feb. 1766. 1
2. Matthew Boulton [Birmingham] to Benjamin Franklin. 22 Feb. 1766. 1
(See Notes field below for a transctipion of this letter)
3. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Josiah Wedgwood (Burslem). 10 Jul. 1767. 4
4. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to William Daniel (London). 18 Jul. 1767. 5
5. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to P. J. Wendler. [?18] Jul. 1767. 7
6. Matthew Boulton (Soho) to John Cantrel & Co. 26 Jul. 1767. 9
7. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Nathaniel Jefferys. [? 27 Jul. 1767.] 9
8. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mr. & Mrs. Jefferys. [? 27 Jul. 1767.] 10
9. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Anthony Dean [Hagley]. 27 Jul. 1767. 10
10. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Johann Zumpe. [? 27 Jul. 1767.] 11
11. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Lewis Baumgartner. 3 Aug. 1767. 12
12. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mr. Norton. 5 Aug. 1767. 13
13. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to H. F. Bargum. 5 Aug. 1767. 15
14. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Kentish. 12 Aug. 1767. 17
15. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mr. Willetts. 12 Aug. 1767. 18
16. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to John Henry Wicke. 22 Aug. 1767. 19
17. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to Mr. Cookson (Leeds). 25 Aug. 1767. 21
18. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mons. Godfroy. [c. Sep. 1767.] 22
19. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to H. F. Bargum. [c. 1 Oct. 1767.] 25
20. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Richard Levett. [c. Oct.] 1767. 27
21. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mr. Hassell (Solihull). [22 Oct.] 1767. 28
22. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to H. F. Bargum. 23 Sep. 1767. 29
23. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Herman Ebbinghaus. 28 Oct. 1767. 30
24. Matthew Boulton (Soho) to John Motteux. 16 Nov. 1767. 34
25. Matthew Boulton (Soho) to John Herman Ebbinghaus. 18 Nov. 1767. 35
26. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to H. F. Bargum. 18 Nov. 1767. 37
27. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mr. Hassell [Solihull]. 24 Nov. 1767. 39
28. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Herman Ebbinghaus. 2 Dec. 1767. 40
29. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Richard Tonson. 15 Dec. 1767. 44
30. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Meredith. 12 Dec. 1767. 45
31. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Mr. Cookson (Leeds). [? Dec. 1767.] 46
32. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Richard Tonson. 2 Jan. 1768. 48
33. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Francis Garbett. Jan. 1768. 49
34. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Motteux. 15 Jan. 1768. 52
35. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to William Matthews. 23 Jan. 1768. 55
36. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Kentish. 23 Jan. 1768. 56
37. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Richard Levett. [c. 6 Feb. 1768.] 58
38. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to H. F. Bargum. 6 Feb. 1768. 59
39. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Herman Ebbinghaus. 6 Feb. 1768. 60
40. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Motteux. 23 Feb. 1768. 62
41. Boulton & Fothergill [Soho] to Mr. Cookson Jr. (Antwerp). 23 Feb. 1768. 64
(Directed to Cookson at Jacob Theodore Willens’.)
42. Matthew Boulton to [Soho] John Herman Ebbinghaus. 2 Mar. 1768. 66
43. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to Philip Rosenhagen. 2 Mar. 1768. 70
44. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to H. F. Bargum. 2 Mar. 1768. 71
45. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Peter Bottom. 30 Mar. 1768. 73
46. Matthew Boulton (Soho) to John Roebuck. 9 Jul. 1768. 74
47. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Kentish. 17 Apr. 1768. 75
48. Matthew Boulton (Birmingham) to Günther Ludwig Stühlmann [Hamburg]. 14 Jul. 1768. 76
49. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Herman Ebbinghaus. 10 Aug. 1768. 78
50. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to John Herman Ebbinghaus. Sep. 1768. 80
51. Matthew Boulton [Soho] to Josiah Wedgwood. 84
TRANSCRIPTS
2. Matthew Boulton to Benjamin Franklin. 22 Feb. 1766.
The addition you have made to my happiness in being the cause of my acquaintance with the amiable and ingenious Dr. Small deserves more than thanks, and theretofore I take this opportunity of making my acknowledgements to you in the same sort of coin, by introducing to you my good friend Mr. Samuel Garbett, who is an admirer of Mr. Francklin in particular, a friend to mankind in general, a lover of his country, a zealous advocate for Truth and for the rights of your oppress’d countrymen; he is a man who does honour to the character of a merchant, a manufactorer, and of a soldier; indeed, he is of that class of men which I know you love, and though I am sensible your time is of great value, yet I shall make no apology for thus breaking in upon it, as you’ll thank me for his acquaintance.
My engagements since Christmas have not permitt’d me to make any further progress with my fire engine, but as the thirsty season is approaching apace, necessity will oblige me to set about it in good ernest.
Query, which of the steam valves do you like best?
Query, is it better to introduce the jet of cold water in at the bottom of the receive (which is about 3 feet from the top) or in a the top? Each has its[1] advantages and disadvantages. My thoughts about the secondary, or mechanical, contrivences of it are too numerous to trouble you with in this letter, and yet I have not been lucky enough to hit upon any that are objectionless; I therefore beg, if any thought occours to your[2] fertile genius which you think may be usefull or preserve me from error in the execution of this engine, you’ll be so kind as to comunicate it to me, and you’ll very greatly oblidge,
Your, M.B.
Having occasion to anneal a steel dye about 6 lb. weight the other day, I put it (when moderatly red hott) into some wood ashes, which I consider’d as the best incombustible non conductor of heat I know. Theese ashes were contain’d in a wooden barrell, which I wrapt up in some woolen blankets, and left it in a cold garret (then cover’d with snow) were it remain’d for 30 hours, and than japen’d it in the presence of Dr. Small. I found a good deal of steam condenc’d upon the barrell and blankets, which shew’d they were not dry enough for the experiment; yet nevertheless the dye was nearly as hot as boiling water. There are a few other experiments which I want to make in this way, and than I intend to try if I can’t send you a 12-pounder red hot to London.
I should be much oblig’d to you if you would let your servant order a porter to neal up the model of the engine in the box again, and take it to the Birmingham carrier at the Bull in Smithfield, the expence of which you’ll please to pass in your Philosophical Account Book where your Debtor is not distinguished from Creditor.
[1] MS. it.
[2] MS. you. |