Papers comprising a memoir, a history of engineering in the Office of Works and lectures

This series contains files on each topic set out in Joseph Needham's grand plan for 'Science and Civilisation in China'.

Letter from Engineer Lieutenant Charles Hawkes, Joint Secretary, Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines, to Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher, enclosing a report on a meeting with William Reavell, on the manufacture of internal combustion engines in Europe. [See CHAR 13/16/79-83 for typescript copy].

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher [Chairman, Royal Commission on Oil Fuel] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the Commission, particularly meeting with Dr George Beilby on the possibility of producing oil from coal. Fisher asks WSC to keep the letter "deadly secret and never mention it", stating that it was not a dream, nor the "outpouring of a diseased imagination". [See CHAR 13/16/85-86 for typescript copy].

Letter from Engineer Lieutenant Charles Hawkes, Joint Secretary, Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines, to Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher, enclosing a report on a meeting with William Reavell, on the manufacture of internal combustion engines in Europe. [Typescript copy; see CHAR 13/14/155-159 for original].

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher [Chairman, Royal Commission on Oil Fuel] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the Commission, particularly meeting with Dr George Beilby on the possibility of producing oil from coal. Fisher asks WSC to keep the letter "deadly secret and never mention it", stating that it was not a dream, nor the "outpouring of a diseased imagination". [Typescript copy; see CHAR 13/14/160-164 for original].

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher [Chairman, Royal Commission on Oil Fuel] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the Parsons Turbine Engine developed by Sir Charles Parsons. [Typescript copy; see CHAR 13/15/79-83 for original].

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on oil fuel. Includes press cuttings on the use of oil motors in German shipyards and a letter from Sir [Thomas] Boverton Redwood [Adviser on Petroleum to the Admiralty] to Fisher.

Memorandum by Dr George Beilby [Member of the Royal Commission on Fuel and Engines for the Navy] on "Alcohol as Fuel". [Duplicate typescript].

Letter from Admiral of the Fleet 1st Lord Fisher [Chairman, Royal Commission on Oil Fuel] to WSC [First Lord of the Admiralty] on the Parsons Turbine Engine developed by Sir Charles Parsons. [See CHAR 13/16/111-112 for typescript copy].

Extract from an official minute by "A.M.O" to the Postmaster General [Herbert Samuel] on the technical arrangements for the telephone reporting of WSC's speech in Belfast to the Liverpool Daily Post, the Manchester Guardian and the Yorkshire Post. Typescript copy. Sent with CHAR 2/59/41.

Letter from Louis Brennan (Glenarthur, Netley Street, South Farnborough, [Hampshire]) to Edward Marsh asking him to arrange for WSC to follow Sir Laming Worthington-Evans and Frederick Guest in seeing his lift experiments.

Letter from [Edward Marsh] to Louis Brennan (Glenarthur, Netley Street, South Farnborough, [Hampshire]) reporting that WSC would like to come and see his lift experiments. Carbon typescript copy.

Letter from William Gordon Daly (c/o Police Station, Holyhead, [Anglesey, Wales]), better known to WSC as L E de Mole, to WSC claiming to be associated with the invention of the train and tank ferry, explaining how he has been discharged from prison and how a firm of engineers has been paid to build his invention, and asking WSC to assist him in getting a job.

Letter from Richard Alexander, aircraft, electrical and motor engineer (1 St Luke's Road, Maidstone, [Kent]) to WSC enclosing CHAR 2/159/59 and asking him to get "a sportsman" from among his friends to take an interest in his (Alexander's) helicopter idea.

Poster annoucing that an inventor [Richard Alexander of Maidstone, Kent] has devised an advanced helicopter design and needs financial help to develop it. Sent with CHAR 2/159/57-58.

Reprint from the Manchester Guardian Commercial: articles on Low Temperature Carbonisation Ltd. Sent with CHAR 2/116/157.

Printed circular letter from Close Brothers & Co Ltd (7 Moorgate Street, Bank, London) referring to the reports on the process developed by Low Temperature Carbonisation Ltd [see CHAR 2/117/47 and CHAR 2/117/48] whose plant in Barnsley [Yorkshire] is now being managed by Close Brothers. Sent with CHAR 2/117/45.

Engineer's report on the testing and operation of the plant of Low Temperature Carbonisation Ltd at Barnsley [Yorkshire]. Sent with CHAR 2/117/45.

Printed report to Close Brothers & Co Ltd by Sir Percy Girouard on the operations of the low temperature carbonisation plant at Barnsley, Yorkshire. Sent with CHAR 2/117/45.

Edition of the Financial Times including marked articles on Sir Percy Girouard's report on the low temperature carbonisation plant at Barnsley, Yorkshire. Sent with CHAR 2/117/45.

Briefings and arrangements for a visit to the Northern region, Tyneside and Sunderland, including the Swan Hunter shipyard, Tyneside and Woodhorn Colliery Museum and Blyth Valley civic centre [Northumberland]. Also includes rough notes of a meeting with the British Labour Group on the first anniversary of the European elections.

Letters, blueprints, drawings, orders, memoranda, telegrams.