Bundle of miscellaneous correspondence
- Reference:GB 254 MS 102/12/8
- Dates of Creation:1855
- Physical Description:1 bundle
Scope and Content
Correspondence: 1855. Miscellaneous topics pertaining to engineering and business matters together with current, family and personal affairs. Correspondents and contents include:
James Paterson (items belonging to himself and PC to be removed from Mr Nairne’s mill before the forced sale there of machinery and equipment);
James Martie, Jonsererd, By Gothenberg, Sweden (recommends a young engineer; the effects of the Crimean War on trade, the difficulty in finding supplies of hemp and the excessively cold winter; the building of a railway between Gothenberg and Stockholm; wage rates in Sweden);
James Sinclair, Strone, Stirling (engines for The Scotsman’s printing press; progress on his water engine; ordering canvas for his schooners);
Thomas Greenwood, Wellington Foundry, Leeds, (matters of patent; a move to making machinery for arms manufacturing for the Crimean War, comments on the progress of the War; letter of introduction regarding an artist with a new yarn);
James McCallum, 5 Brighton Place, Glasgow, (request for a reference from PC in support of his application to Cox Bros of Dundee);
James Spence, Portsmouth Dockyard (dissatisfaction with his position and the possibility of applying for the post of manager of the Dundee gas works; The return of the ship Samson from Odessa and Sebastopol with a tame Circassian bear; evidence of and rants against incompetence and mismanagement in the Crimean War; the effects of extremes of temperature on metal; drawing of a Russian marine mine - ‘infernal machine’; programme of a meeting of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts that includes a paper by James Spense on the ‘Rise and Progress of the Royal Steam Navy’; articles in the Artisan; family news: brain fever of Rachel Jane and the making of a photographic portrait of his fast failing son);
Thomas Marsden, Broughton, Manchester (trade reference regarding Thomas Briggs)
James Carmichael, Filature d’Ailly, France (to be made a partner in the French company; major breakdowns at Ailly and at Dens Works losing 12 days work; a proposal to buy a new factory; price of English and Belgian coal; trade and manufacturing, prices of Whitworth Lathes);
D. Cruickshank, 38 Charles St., Westminster, London (death of the Emperor Nicholas; the consequences for a lasting peace; increasing numbers of soldiers in locality bringing serious problems for his school; criticisms of government: ‘what a mess our government have made of the war and themselves … a radical change must take place … the aristocratic element must give place to acknowledged utility come from what class it may’; family matters and illness; letter of complaint on behalf of James Spence and some of his friends;
D. Kinnear, Arbroath (an election in Arbroath lost by W. E. Baxter*; the support given to a worker by Baxter Bros after a disabling accident);
[John] Tannoch D.D., minister of Glamis, (request on behalf of a parishioner for an advance on her allowance due to the severity of the winter, scarcity of work and ill health in the family);
David Baxter, London and Edinburgh (flax, output, competition and tenders; telegraph message);
John Batley, Wellington Foundry, Leeds (patent infringements, machine manufacture for the War, business references, trade; Derby and Coalbrookdale catalogues with price lists for Mrs Baxter);
Charles McKinlay & Co., Leith; invoice for wines and spirits.
William Henderson, Riga (successful establishment of a mill, marriage to his English housekeeper);
James Leslie, 72 George Street Edinburgh (the working costs of engines);
Robert Small (a scheme for the consumption of smoke in Glasgow);
William Ingram, Musselborough (thanking for hospitality in Dundee);
Henry S Boase, Claverhouse (bleaching, dying and experiments in the drying of flax yarn);
E. Young, Annan.
James Laing, Glasgow (request for 20 shillings assistance);
James Low, junior, Monifieth;
John Smith, Dundee (letter on leaving PC’s employ);
Thomas Greenwood, Wellington Foundry, Leeds (dispute between Mr Fairbairn, Mr Mathers and himself and its resolution; production moved to machinery for arms manufacture, little left in flax machinery; marriage of Mr Fairbairn and Mrs Bell (nee Brandling) of Newcastle);
Chris Kerr (advice regarding a purchase);
J. Robertson, Manse of Mains (request for the employment of his step-brother, a mechanic);
John Robertson, 14 Meadow Street, Dundee (subscriptions to the Infirmary);
John Corlass, Preston (gift of towels);
William Leitch, Ladybank (meeting of Heritors and Kirk Session; a request to visit a factory to gain information on the social and moral aspects; social changes, the role of religion, experiments in social welfare and organisation);
Robert Small, Dundee (unable to find a ship under £18 or £20 to load for Abbeville);
Andrew Fullerton, Abbey Mount Works, Edinburgh (suggested remedy for PC’s leg ulcer;
Edward Baxter, Dundee (£5 7s due by PC and Mr Low of Monifieth);
William Nairne, (his bankruptcy, illness and the dishonesty of his son);
Thomas Pratt, Cupar, Fife (recommendation of Mr Smith for employment as a clerk).
[111 items]
* Later MP for Montrose Burghs. Nephew of Sir David Baxter.Access Information
Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.
Archivist's Note
Description compiled by Kenneth Baxter, April 2011
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.
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Additional Information
Published