Manuscript account book

Item author: Edward Short
Item date: 1713 - 1717
Grant Value: 3,125
Item cost: 12,500
Item date acquired: 2002
Item institution: Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies
Town/City: Wolverhampton
County: West Midlands

Contains the signature of Thomas Newcomen, inventor of the first practical atmospheric steam engine, acknowledging receipt of rental for one of his engines from Edward Short. This thus confirms that there was a Newcomen engine at Bilston at the very beginning of the industrial revoltion, a fact hitherto unproved