Miscellaneous Papers, 1870

‘Miscellaneous Papers on Mechanical Subjects”, by Sir Joseph Whitworth (privately published in Manchester 1870). This leather bound and gilt edged collection of Whitworth papers arrived in the post a little while ago. Much of the content relates to Whitworth cannon.

Joseph Whitworth

Joseph Whitworth was born at Stockport in 1803 and was to become the foremost manufacturer of machine tools of his time. He was approached in 1854 by Lord Hardinge to investigate ‘the mechanical principles applicable in the construction of an efficient weapon.’ Unwilling to commit to the design of a complete set of machinery for manufacturing rifle muskets, Whitworth was asked to undertake the construction of the machinery for the rifle barrel only. His experiments revolutionised rifle design.

Hex Bore blog

INDEX. Hex Bore is a project by Research Press for the study of Whitworth rifles and artillery. This blog includes project news, updates, information and anecdotes.

Sir Joseph Whitworth, Bart.

This memoir and portrait appeared in ‘The National Portrait Gallery’, published by Cassell, Petter & Galpin, London, c1878. Four series of portraits, bound in 2 volumes, were published. Each series has twenty full-page colour plates of portraits taken from photgraphs. Each portrait has the prinited signature of the subject. The accompanying texts (referred to as Memoirs) are written in the third person by an unnamed writer, and are on prominent British men from the 1800s. Sir Joseph Whitworth, Bart. is featured in the Fourth Series.