Fonds GB 0096 MS325 - Rastrick, John Urpeth

c100 items

GB 0096 MS325 1811-1847 fonds c100 items Rastrick , John Urpeth , 1780-1856 , civil engineer

John Urpeth Rastrick was born at Morpeth in Northumberland on 26 January 1780, the son of John Rastrick, an engineer to whom he became articled in 1795. In about 1801, he was working at the Ketley Iron Works in Shropshire and, in or after 1805, he joined in partnership with John Hazledine (soon succeeded by Robert Hazledine) of Bridgenorth, Shropshire. During this time, Rastrick assisted in the construction of the locomotive 'Catch me who Can' for Richard Trevithick in 1808, and in 1814, he took out a patent for a steam engine and soon started experimenting with steam traction on railways. His first major work was the cast iron road bridge over the Wye at Chepstow (1815-1816). In 1817 Rastrick left that partnership, to join with James Foster, in about 1819, at the iron works which then became known as Foster, Rastrick and Co., at Stourbridge, Worcestershire. His association with railway engineering began in 1822 when he became an engineer for the Stratford and Moreton Railway. Rastrick became an active supporter of railway proposals put before Parliament, an adviser to railway companies, and a designer and builder of locomotives - the 'Agenoria' and 'Stourbridge Lion' for example. He acted as surveyor or engineer to parts of a large number of lines, among them the Liverpool and Manchester (1829 onwards), the Manchester and Cheshire Junction (1835 onwards), and the series of lines later known as the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway (1836 onwards). About 1847, he retired from engineering work, although he continued to occupy himself with railway business, and was active in a number of arbitrations concerning railway disputes. He retired to Sayes Court, Chertsey, Surrey and died on 1 November 1856.

Papers of John Urpeth Rastrick, 1811-1847, comprising a miscellany of correspondence (including drafts of copies of outgoing letters), with notes, engineering drawings and some financial papers (costings, receipts and invoices). Many of the notes and calculations are written in Rastrick's private cipher. Major correspondents include the London shipping iron merchants Henckell and Du Buisson; most of the letters were dispatched to or from London or the industrial areas of South Wales and the West Midlands.

Open for research. 24 hours notice should be given before a research visit.

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

T D Rogers, The Rastrick Papers, University of London Library (1968).

Imported from the Senate House catalogue and edited by Sarah Drewery.

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.

Feb 2009. Rastrick , John Urpeth , 1780-1856 , civil engineer Engineering Finance Industry Steel industry London England UK Western Europe Europe

Papers of John Urpeth Rastrick, 1811-1847, comprising a miscellany of correspondence (including drafts of copies of outgoing letters), with notes, engineering drawings and some financial papers (costings, receipts and invoices). Many of the notes and calculations are written in Rastrick's private cipher. Major correspondents include the London shipping iron merchants Henckell and Du Buisson; most of the letters were dispatched to or from London or the industrial areas of South Wales and the West Midlands.

Open for research. 24 hours notice should be given before a research visit.

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

• Latin

English

T D Rogers, The Rastrick Papers, University of London Library (1968).

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.

• English