Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1826 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
letter
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John Loudon McAdam was born in Ayr in 1756. He became famous as a road builder, in particular for his seminal book Remarks on the Present System of Road Making (1816). McAdam was so influential that his surname has entered the English language as 'tarmacadam' and 'tarmac', a synonym for the tarred road surface he invented.
Repository
Archival history
Transferred from Senate House Library.
GB 0096 MS1138 1826 Fonds letter McAdam , John Loudon , 1756-1836 , builder and administrator of roads
John Loudon McAdam was born in Ayr in 1756. He became famous as a road builder, in particular for his seminal book Remarks on the Present System of Road Making (1816). McAdam was so influential that his surname has entered the English language as 'tarmacadam' and 'tarmac', a synonym for the tarred road surface he invented.
Transferred from Senate House Library.
Senate House Library
Letter from John Loudon McAdam to the antiquary and topographer, John Britton, 27 Oct 1826. Thanking Britton for his paper and commenting on prospective modifications to the Poor Law.
1 item only
Open for research
Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
English
Collection-level description
McAdam's papers are also held at the following institutions; papers (56 items) at the Museum of the City of New York Library; observations on his life and work (1800) at Manchester Archives and Local Studies (record reference L15); letters to Lord Grenville (1811-20) at the British Library, Manuscript Collections; correspondence with JA Stewart-Mackenzie and Admiral Keith Stewart (1787-1824) at the National Archives of Scotland (record reference GD46 link to online catalogue).
Compiled by Anya Turner.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
July 2008 Law reform Communication process Communication skills Writing Government Letter writing Public administration Poor Law administration Law Britton , John , 1771-1857 , antiquary and topographer McAdam , John Loudon , 1756-1836 , builder and administrator of roads
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Senate House Library
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Letter from John Loudon McAdam to the antiquary and topographer, John Britton, 27 Oct 1826. Thanking Britton for his paper and commenting on prospective modifications to the Poor Law.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
1 item only
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open for research
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Collection-level description
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
McAdam's papers are also held at the following institutions; papers (56 items) at the Museum of the City of New York Library; observations on his life and work (1800) at Manchester Archives and Local Studies (record reference L15); letters to Lord Grenville (1811-20) at the British Library, Manuscript Collections; correspondence with JA Stewart-Mackenzie and Admiral Keith Stewart (1787-1824) at the National Archives of Scotland (record reference GD46 link to online catalogue).
Publication note
Notes area
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Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English