Beschreibung:

Papers of Charles Baird and family, relating to the iron foundry established by Charles Baird at St Petersburg, comprising: (i) Deeds and correspondence relating to the establishment of the ironworks, comprising (a) the "Heads of the Articles of Copartnery Agreed upon the Partners of the St Petersburg Iron Company commencing 1st Sepr 1792", signed by Charles Baird and Francis Morgan, "contracted & agreed by & between Sir Charles Gascoigne, Francis Morgan, James Baird & Charles Baird: in consideration that the Manufacture of Iron and Copper, in the town of St Petersburg is attended with singular advantage... that they become joint Copartners in aid business of Casting, Hammering, Slitting & Rolling Iron & Copper under the firm of The St Petersburg Iron Company", with revisions added in pencil and Charles Gascoigne's signature erased; (b) memorandum and conjoint autograph letter by Baird to Morgan, marked "For Mr Morgans – correction to add or curtail as he sees right", St Petersburg, 14 September 1792; (c) memorandum signed by Baird and Morgan, listing points agreed between them, to be submitted to Gascoigne and James Baird St Petersburg, 14 September 1792, in all about 12 pages, minor dust-staining and usual signs of minor wear, folio, St Petersburg, 1-14 September 1792 (ii) Autograph autobiography (headed "Some account of myself"), together with a sickbed journal and will, signed at the end, written in expectation of his imminent death, describing, inter alia, his difficult relations with the Carron's manager, Gascoigne ("...the business was entirely conducted by me – Mr G – with all his abilities – had no knowledge of the business, but a most profound knowledge of mankind – This man's ingratitude... his jealousy, prosecution & ill treatment, although it imbittered some years of my early life – formed the character that has enabled me to get thro' life...") and his engineering achievements ("...I made the first Steam Engine ever made out of England & started also the first Steam Boat ever run on any Waters on the Continent of Europe – in 1815 I started my first boat before there was a Boat on the Thames..."); in a wrapper inscribed to his wife, in all about 14 pages, 4to, 25 and 31 October 1832 (iii) Three autograph letters signed by Charles Baird Junior to his cousin Frank, discussing family and business affairs, 1833; with a letter to Frank from John Taylor imprisoned for challenging an MP to a duel, 1832, nearly 20 pages, 4to, 1832-3 (iv) Two copies of T. Tower, Memoir of the late Charles Baird ... and of his son, the late Francis Baird (privately printed, 1867) are included in the lot, one inscribed "For Mrs Shapler – with Mrs Baird's love"