New Evidence Supporting Wolverhampton as the Location of the First Working Newcomen Engine

Abstract

It is generally accepted that the first successful steam engine was erected by Thomas Newcomen with his partner John Calley in 1712 on a site near Dudley Castle, West Midlands but contradictory evidence exists that suggests the first successful engine was actually built in Wolverhampton. Long-standing evidence supporting Wolverhampton includes letters in French written by Newcomen engineer John O'Kelly in 1721 to a business associate and by J.T. Desaguliers FRS in his Course of Experimental Philosophy (1744). Both men state that the first successful Newcomen Engine was used to draw water for a Mr. Back of Wolverhampton. W. O. Henderson in his 1948 Newcomen Society paper identified Mr. Back as William Bache but could not link him to the Newcomen engine. He also identified a possible location of the Wolverhampton Engine at a site off the Willenhall Road based on unverifiable quotes from Dr. Wilkes diaries which had since been lost. It was therefore felt at the time there was still insufficient evidence to prove the Wolverhampton case. The relevant Wilkes diary has come to light and provides primary evidence of the engine having been built near another Wolverhampton engine belonging to a Mr. Sparrow off the Willenhall Road. An Account Book for a hitherto unknown, nearby Bilston engine erected in 1714 links William Bache with a Newcomen engine for the first time. A recently discovered map of 1770 coal borings in east Wolverhampton shows the old engine pit of the Sparrow engine mentioned by Dr. Wilkes, and nearby is an old 22 yard deep engine pit on land that belonged to William Bache in 1712 and may consequently identify the exact location of Newcomen's first successful steam engine.