Science and Learning

8-10 July 1701   A boarding school for young gentlewomen has been lately set up at Hamsted [i.e. Hampstead], where is taught French, English, all manner of needle-work, writing, arithmetick, geography, dancing, and drawing, and where there are all sorts of good accommodations. [Post Man]

7 January 1720   A new invented engine for raising water is set up at Dr. Desagulier’s house in Channel-Row. The invention has been made appear [sic] to the Doctor to be perfectly new, and an easier way of raising water than ever was practis’d before, being done by a pole or plunger, moving up and down in a barrel, like the bucket or sucker of a pump, but without being leathered, or touching any side of the barrel, and thereby avoiding all frictions of solids. This engine being wrought by a boy of 14 years of age, throws up water, at least 56 foot high, through a two inch pipe, from a bason in the Doctor’s yard into a cistern on the top of his house. The Doctor, to shew his approbation of this machine, is drawing up a particular description of it, which he intends to publish, to do justice to the inventer [sic], who has also proposed a better method for extinguishing fire than ever was yet pratised. (London Journal)

4 December 1725   Last Week the Church-Wardens, and some of the principal Inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, together with some of the Gentlemen of the Hand-in-Hand Fire-Office, had a Meeting in West-Smithfield, in order to try a new Engine for extinguishing Fire, made on purpose for the said Parish by Mr. Gray, Engine-Maker, at Mill-Bank, Westminster; the Performance of which was so wonderfully great, by throwing out a vast Quantity of Water in a continual Stream, to such a prodigious Heighth [sic] and Distance, and with that great Force, as occasioned a general Approbation of all the Spectators; and, in the Opinion of several very good Judges, is not to be equall’d in Goodness with any other Engine of that Size, and is worked only by four Persons. [Mist's Weekly Journal]

29 January 1726   We hear that for the Ease and Conveniency of Deptford and Greenwich a Timber Bridge, will shortly be built over the River Ravensbourn, betwixt those Towns, near the Place when it falls into the Thames, and that it will be so contrived as not to obstruct the Navigation of Coal Lighters, and Timber Barges as before. ’Tis proposed to build this Bridge by a small Pound-Rate, to be laid on the Rents of the Houses and Lands, and by the generous Contributions of the Gentlemen of both the Parishes, and also that a Toll of one Penny per Horse, for Hackney Coaches, Drays and Carts, for ever, be collected weekly by each Parish alternately, and distributed to the Watermen of both the said Parishes. If this Design obtains, which seems so well calculated for the joint Benefit of Deptford and Greenwich, ’tis not to be doubted but a Street will be built from each Town to the said Bridge, which will convert that marshy Ground into a wholsome [sic] Residence: And we hear that a Subscription is actually begun for the Encouragement of this useful Undertaking. [Weekly Journal, or British Gazetteer]

3 December 1726
Spittlefields, Nov. 30. Here is a great talk amongst the weavers of a machine or engine that is invented by a master weaver, near the Cross in Coventry, that will weave as many dozen yards of pieces of ribbon or lace in a week’s time, by one man’s tending of it, as twelve men can weave in the time. (Mist’s Weekly Journal)

9 April 1730   The Anatomical Theatre at Surgeon’s hall, built by Inigo Jones about an hundred years ago, and esteemed the most commodious structure in Europe for the purpose, being out of repair, after several estimates given in by builders, who from the peculiarity of the structure very much differ’d about the manner and expence of repairing it, the Earl of Burlington was last week requested to survey it, who not only directed the only proper way of repairing it, and that at a much less expence than by any of the other estimates, but also out of his regard to that great English Architect, and to the generous encouragement he is always ready to afford to maintain the memory and productions of the Artists in every profession, ordeed it to be forthwith repaired by one of his own builders at his own expence. [The Grub-street Journal]