[Ms. commonplace book of William Lewin, engineer. ca.1816-1820. Lewin was at one time a principal assistant to Sir John Rennie. He was later for many years in private practice, being involved chiefly in the draining and reclamation of the Fens. General notebook re different aspects of engineering, including rules on construction of buildings; instructions for making, and properties of, materials; costs of materials and services; 'Mr Banks prices at the Euston [Custom] house 1818'; 'Sheerness prices 1814'; woods and their places of origin; 'action of certain substances on Cast Iron'; bridges, locks (and lock gates); wood, air, water and 'earths' (i.e. alumin, silex, magnesia, zircon, glucine, yttria, lime). Book includes tables re weights, beer and wine and specific gravity; and many illustrations - sketches and line drawings. Essentially a general engineer's home-made technical manual] Ms. commonplace book of William Lewin 1816-1820
