Letter by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel to Benjamin Hawes regarding the Thames Tunnel, 4 February 1840
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Object number2014.03074
TitleLetter by Sir Marc Isambard Brunel to Benjamin Hawes regarding the Thames Tunnel, 4 February 1840
Creator Marc Isambard Brunel (author)
DescriptionLetter by Sir Marc Brunel to his son-in-law Benjamin Hawes, dated 4 February 1840. Concerns the construction of the Thames Tunnel. He comments that they have advanced 12 feet in the tunnel in the past week, and this demonstrates the success of the Shield 'if its functions are properly attended to.' However, they do not intend to continue their excavations at that pace, because there are some sections of the ground they are working on that 'consist of nothing but sand, very loose sand.' They are now 'within 90 feet of the wharf', and today met 'the second pipe' (?) which they had to cut up into several pieces. At the end of the letter he writes 'the shore is coming fast upon us'.
Signed 'yours very sincerely M.I. Brunel'. One sheet of paper folded. Addressed to 'Bn Hawes Esq. M.P. Old Barge House' on reverse with remains of a red seal and postmarks. There is a tear down the middle fold at the top.
Transcript available.
Production date 1840-02-04 - 1840-02-04
Object nameletter
Object categorycorrespondence
Techniquehand-written
Dimensions
- height: 183 mm
width: 232 mm
width: 116 mm
Credit line“Accepted under the Cultural Gifts Scheme by HM Government from Clive Richards OBE DL and allocated to the ss Great Britain Trust, 2017”