The archive collections chart the development of mechanical engineering, with strengths in railway engineering, manufacturing, powerplant development and the automobile.

The Institution has long collected the papers of Members, for example personal manuscripts of George and Robert Stephenson and Frederick Lanchester are held.

Archives of merged bodies, the Institutions of Automobile and Locomotive Engineers who transferred their administrative records, are held. Other material of this type includes minutes of the Association of Railway Locomotive Engineers.

Company records are represented by D Napier and Son, engine builders; Livesey Henderson and Co., railway contractors; Joseph Whitworth and Co. and Nasmyth Gaskell and Co., machine tool manufacturers; and ICI Limited, chemical industrialists.

Enquiries

Postal, fax and email queries on historical matters concerning the development of the Institution and quick queries concerning the history of mechanical engineering in general, are accepted. Quick membership record searches are also available. Please contact the Archives Officer, Laura Gardner, on +44 (0) 20 7973 1265 or at l_gardner@imeche.org. A £5+VAT fee is payable for copies of membership records, but the initial search is not charged for. Please note that the archive cannot carry out in-depth research on matters of engineering history or carry out research using other archives. Where possible contacts will be provided if the archive does not hold information that can answer a particular enquiry.

Access to the archive

The archive is open to Members and the general public. Access is by appointment only except for persons wishing to view membership proposal forms. The archive operates within Information and Library service opening hours i.e. weekdays from 9.15a.m. - 5.30p.m. To make an appointment please contact the Archives Officer, Laura Gardner, on +44 (0) 20 7973 1265 or at l_gardner@imeche.org. Items will be retrieved up to 5p.m.

Institution records

The Institution operates a 30-year closure rule for potentially sensitive information. Personal information on members of the Institution is closed for 50 years, or during the lifetime of the individual concerned.

Copies of archive material

Copies of archive material for private study (i.e. non-commercial purpose/ private research) are provided at the discretion of the Archives Officer and are subject to UK Copyright Law. All archives are considered to be copyright information. Permission to publish must be the subject of a written request. Copies are carried out by the Archives Officer only. For preservation purposes, documents bound in volumes, fragile material and oversize items will not be copied.

Copies of paper collections and drawings

Copies for private study are provided at the discretion of the Archives Officer. However, enquirers should be aware that most of the material held in the IMechE archive is fragile and therefore not suitable for photocopying. As an alternative, the Librarian, Mike Claxton, can provide prints by scanning (up to A4 size) or by digital photography, dependent upon the condition of the archive material. Prices and availability are provided on request. The Librarian also offers a commercial image service.

Images of objects

Images of objects are available from the Librarian at the above contact details. Images of a selection of objects and other archive materials can be viewed on the Picture Gallery.

Membership proposal forms

Membership proposal forms from 1847- 1945 are available to view in the library during Information and Library service opening hours. A search service is also available for enquirers who are unable to visit the archives. As of 25th September, a charge of £5 will be made for providing copies of documents. This charge covers transcripts/photocopies (when condition permits) of membership proposal forms and photocopies of memoirs. Membership proposal forms are contained in bound volumes and are therefore generally unsuitable for copying or scanning. Membership proposal forms from 1925 onwards may be suitable for copying at the discretion of the Archives Officer.

Archive catalogue

The IMechE archive records can be searched via the Archive database

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Archive Accessions  (16 kb)

Laura Gardner, Archives Officer, l_gardner@imeche.org