Title
Letter from Joseph Parsons to Mr Goodrich, Navy Office, London
Reference
MS/1424
Production date
02-09-1912 - 02-09-1912
Creator
Scope and Content
Bringing to Goodrich's notice the urgent need of replacement wheels on a rope making machine.
Extent
1 page on 1 sheet
Language
English
Level of description
TOP
Repository name
Science Museum, London
Associated people and organisations
- Goodrich, SimonBiographyBiography
(1773-1847), engineer and mechanician to the Navy Board
Goodrich was born on the 28th of October 1773 however little is known about his early life. In December 1796 he was appointed a draftsman to the mechanist in the office of Sir Samuel Bentham (1757–1831), inspector-general of naval works. Goodrich was chief assistant to Sir Samuel Bentham and he carried out the various schemes of improvement instigated by Bentham for the dockyards. Goodrich was also heavily involved in the introduction of steam power and the establishment at Portsmouth and other dockyards of mills for working wood and metal, the block-making machinery mills, mills for making cordage and rope, and the millwright's workshop.
The engineer Joshua Field was a pupil of Goodrich from 1803-1805. In April 1814 Goodrich was appointed engineer and mechanist to the Navy Board, and after Bentham left, he managed the engineering works of the dockyards, and acted as a consultant to the Navy Board on engineering matters. This entailed residence at Portsmouth, until his retirement in 1831.
Goodrich was elected a corresponding member of the Institution of Civil Engineers in December 1820, and transferred to membership in December 1837. Goodrich moved to Lisbon in 1834 and died there on 3 September 1847, his importance unrecognized by an obituary.
Conditions governing access
Open Access
Conditions governing Reproduction
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