Papers of part of the surviving business archive, or relating to the work, of Thomas Telford (1757-1834), engineer.
Scope and Contents
The papers consist of business correspondence, draft reports, accounts and other papers relating to Thomas Telford's professional activities for the last decade of his life, as well as correspondence and some drafts relating to the 'Life of Thomas Telford civil engineer' itself. The business papers relate mainly to Scottish undertakings and to harbours, canals and fen drainage, with some personal and professional accounts. The collection is roughly half of the material which survived in John Rickman's hands; the other half is now with the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust.
Dates
- Creation: 1795-1838, undated.
Conditions Governing Access
Normal access conditions apply.
Conditions Governing Use
Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.
Extent
10 Volumes ; All volumes are large folio and under unless otherwise stated.
Language of Materials
Undetermined
Arrangement
The papers are arranged by undertaking.
Custodial History
With the exception of two letters (MS.19972, folios 83, 89), the papers were preserved in the family of John Rickman, the statistician.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Bought, Sotheby's sale, 22 June 1976, lot 158. Folio 83, bought, 1976, Maggs Bros Limited, London, catalogue 977, number 151. Folio 89, bought, 1972, Francis Edwards, Limited, London, Bulletin number 2, item 199.
Separated Materials
Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust. Papers consisting primarily of English material, especially relating to the Holyhead Road, and the final manuscript of the 'Life of Thomas Telford Civil Engineer, written by himself'.
Bibliography
Genre / Form
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division
- Description rules
- International Standard for Archival Description - General
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk