Papers, drawings, objects and photographs relating to the company records of Joseph Whitworth.
There are a few items for his other company, Sir WG Armstrong, Whitworth and Company (WHW/5) which have been grouped together.
Product catalogues, machine tool images, some drawings and profiles have been digitised - digitised items.
Whitworth was an engineer, entrepreneur, inventor and philanthropist. In 1841, he devised the British Standard Whitworth system, which created an accepted standard for screw threads that was used into the 1980s. Whitworth also created the Whitworth rifle, often called the "sharpshooter" because of its accuracy and considered one of the earliest examples of a sniper rifle.
He worked with Henry Maudslay (inventor of the screw-cutting lathe), James Nasmyth (inventor of the steam hammer) and Richard Roberts. His closest working relationship was with fellow engineer and pioneer, William Armstrong. The pair formed WG Armstrong, Whitworth and Company.
By appointment - email us.
Compiled by Karyn French, Archivist, Mar 2018.
