The Wyatt Papers

Scope and Content

A small collection of letters and papers to and from the Wyatt family. The records include: fragments of John's diary, 1734-1740; deeds including marriage bonds, releases, agreements, accounts and receipts, notes, verses, 1710-1849; correspondence between various members of the Wyatt family, 1710-1891.

Administrative / Biographical History

Administrative/Biographical History

John Wyatt (1700-1766), inventor. Son of John Wyatt and Jane (ne Jackson) of Thickbroom, Weeford near Lichfield and one of eight children. He worked as a carpenter at Thickbroom and came to Birmingham, c1830 His inventions included a spinning machine which was exploited with some success at Birmingham, c 1738; and a compound-lever weighing machine, for weighing loaded wagons, c 1744. He worked for Messrs Boulton and Watt at their Soho Foundry. He married twice and had two sons and four daughters by his second wife, Marabella (ne Craven): Charles (who married Jane, daughter of Benjamin Wyatt of Blackbrook); John (who married Sarah Reeves and also worked for Messrs Boulton & Watt as a foreman at the Soho Foundry); Cordelia Ann, (1749-1809 who married Thomas Dobbs in 1770; their eldest daughter, also Cordelia, 1771-1846 married John Southern in 1793. John Southern, d 1815, was manager of the Soho Foundry); Clarissa (who married Thomas Carter); Sophia; Emily (who married Edward Jee of Liverpool).

Reference: Pedigrees and notes in the collection; Concise Dictionary of National Biography ( Oxford University Press ).

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Access Information

Access Conditions

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Acquisition Information

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased in 1980.

Other Finding Aids

Finding Aids

See full catalogue for more details.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the University Archivist, Special Collections. Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Accruals

Further deposits are not expected.

Related Material

Other papers of John Wyatt (1700-1766), inventor and to the Wyatt family, are held by the Birmingham City Archives (GB 143 93189-90).