IMechE Engineering Heritage website
 The IMechE has launched the Engineering Heritage website where you can explore the history of mechanical engineering; learn about the Institution of Mechanical Engineers or find out about 1 Birdcage Walk, the headquarters of the Institution. |
The Institution retains Council and Committee minutes from its founding in 1847, with many supplementary archives. These include membership proposal forms and meeting attendance books.
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 are also 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.
The archive includes a number of Victorian engineering models, including two built by John Penn and Son. We hold a collection of 12 models built by model engineer Cherry Hill, as well as a fine model of Stephenson's Rocket, built by Dr J Bradbury-Winter. Details of models can be found on the archive catalogue: [Enter Archive].
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 Archivist on +44 (0) 20 7973 1265 or at archive@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 9.15 a.m. - 5.30 p.m. To make an appointment please contact the Archivist, on +44 (0) 20 7973 1265 or at archive@imeche.org. Items will be retrieved up to 5 p.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 100 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 Archivist 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 Archivist 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 Archivist.
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. 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 Archivist.
Archive catalogue
The IMechE archive records can be searched via the Archive database
[Enter Archive]
Laura Gardner/Fenella Philpot, Archivist, archive@imeche.org