The notebooks were kept by the Wolfs, father and son, whilst studying engineering in Germany. Louis Wolf attended the University of Karlsruhe, 1841-1845, Hans the Technische Hochschule, Aachen, 1885-1890. Louis later worked as a locomotive designer in Stuttgart, Hans as a chemist for J.H. Darby at Brymbo ironworks in north Wales, and later for Islip Iron Works in charge of underground mining. The collection includes an analysis of iron and steel produced at various locations in England and Germany 1885-1900. Mainly written in German.