Collection
Discover our rich collection of objects from the Brunel archive.
SS Great Eastern Stereocard
Anonymous stereocard showing the SS Great Eastern off the coast of Southampton
French Revolutionary Banknote
Assignat of 25 sols, printed following the French Revolution of 1789
I.K. Brunel by the Launching Chains of the SS Great Eastern
Albumen print by Robert Howlett (1831-58)
Decorative fan belonging to Mary Brunel
Decorative fan which formerly belonged to Mary Brunel (1813-81), wife of I. K. Brunel.
“Memoir of Sir M. I. Brunel” by Richard Beamish
Copy of Richard Beamish’s Memoir of the Life of Sir Marc Isambard Brunel (1866), with a number of manuscript annotations on the flyleaves documenting the Brunel family’s genealogy. The volume also contains a manuscript dedication from John Kennedy (later Rev. John Kennedy, headmaster of Aldenham School, Herts., 1877-99) to Philip Edward Lee, dated 1865 on …
SS Great Eastern – Hull Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's hull, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Bow Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's bow, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Launching Cradles Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern on its launching cradle, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Screw Shaft and Sternpost Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's screw shaft and sternpost, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Inspection of the Checking Drum Print
Print of the inspection of the SS Great Eastern's checking drum, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Rear Deck Construction Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's deck, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Front Deck Construction Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's deck, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Checking Drums Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's checking drum, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern – Hydraulic Rams Print
Print of the SS Great Eastern's hydraulic rams, from a photograph by Robert Howlett
SS Great Eastern Medal
White metal medal commemorating the death of I.K. Brunel in 1859, with a depiction of Brunel (obverse) and the SS Great Eastern (reverse)
Thames Tunnel Medal
White metal medal depicting Marc Brunel (obverse) and the Thames Tunnel entrance (reverse)
Commemorative silk kerchief
Red and cream silk kerchief with printed decoration in black and additional colours of yellow, red and grey applied by hand to the central illustration. The illustration of whole tunnel that decorates the border is similar to one by William Westall. The square central illustration of the interior of the Thames Tunnel is an illustration by James D. Harding. This would have been a more expensive souvenir in comparison to the other commemorative handkerchief in the Brunel Museum collection (LDBRU:2007.2) due to its higher quality and the more laborious production process.
ICE certificate awarding Marc Isambard Brunel the Thomas Telford Silver Medal
Institution of Civil Engineers: certificate awarding Marc Isambard Brunel the Thomas Telford Silver Medal "...in testimony of the high sense entertained by this Institution of the Benefits conferred by him on the Profession of the Civil Engineer by the design and construction of the Shield at The Thames Tunnel and in acknowledgement of the valuable Drawings of the Shield presented by him to this Institution", calligraphic manuscript executed in imitation of engraving, signed by President and Secretary, London, 15 January 1839, on one sheet of vellum, folio.
Four lithograph views of the Tunnel
A lithograph section of the whole tunnel with three vignettes of the movable stage and other views below (number 1-4), drawn by 'Wm Westall'.
Printed sheet from Tunnel guidebook
A shaded sketch of the shield featuring two figures with tools alongside accompanying explanatory text, signed by J. Pinchback and Warrington. Also includes scale markings (50 feet x 40 feet) and figure numbers (1-4).
Map showing the progress of the Tunnel
Lithographic overview of the 'Great Descents' (similar to the previous but in a smaller format and omitting the tunnel cross-section), lithographed by Warrington after Pinchback; marked up by Brunel, with in the margin pencilled calculations as to the length of tunnel required for completion, and in the map itself in ink with the same calculations (marked as 727ft 9in at the position of the shield, plus notes of the position of the old shield, compass points, etc.)
Lithographic sheet showing progress of the Tunnel
Lithographic overview and cross section of the 'Great Descents', after Joseph Pinchback, captioned in ink: "Thames Tunnel/ Plan and Section showing the proposed Pumping Well at Wapping and drain from thence to the Shield forming the 1st article in Mr
Brunel's Estimate for the completion of the Tunnel – the section shews the dip of the Strata towards the Middlesex Shore"; (section cut from sheet).
Sketch of the timbering for the removal of the old shield
Small drawing; a pen-and-ink study, presumably by Richard Beamish, of the timbering for the removal of the old shield
Watercolour of planned Shaft and section of a Tunnel
Watercolour of a longitudinal section showing the Rotherhithe shaft with the first section of tunnel constructed, with two miners in profile working at the upper and lower sections of the shield, two gentlemen inspecting the works [possibly Brunel and a visitor], and a miner wheeling away soil in a barrow; cut from a larger sheet.
Side view of the Thames Tunnel after flooding
Watercolour conveying "Longitudinal section of part of Thames tunnel showing the state of the strata and coveringafter the Run of Sand", signed with monogram [?] "R.P.", inscribed to Brunel's son-in-law Benjamin Hawes MP, dated "3
March 1837".
Cross-section of the Thames Tunnel after flooding
Watercolour featuring a "Transverse section of the Thames tunnel and strata...", extensively annotated, and signed with monogram [?] "R.P.", inscribed to Brunel's son-in-law Benjamin Hawes MP, dated "3 March 1837".
Watercolour of a cylindrical tunnelling shield
Watercolour featuring a cylindrical tunnelling shield with crank (apparently for propelling cast-iron segments into place), cut from a larger sheet (conjoint with LDBRU:2017.19), with scale of feet, dated "September 1818".
Two watercolour views of a cylindrical tunnelling shield
Cylindrical tunnelling shield, two views, one with a miner at work, cut from a larger sheet with ink-ruled border at left-hand and lower edge (conjoint with LDBRU:2017.20)
Sketch for a proposed cast-iron tunnel
Pen-and-ink engineering drawings for a tunnel in cast iron, dated "10 April 1818", and extensively annotated in French and English by Brunel, with notes on brickwork laid in cement and of the cast iron shell indicating thickness at the crown and sides;
subscribed "The Cast Iron for a Tunnel of this nature will not exceed 200 Tons for every 100 feet run including the
drain".
Side view of the flooded Tunnel
Watercolour of a longitudinal section (attributable to Joseph Pinchback) of the tunnel, showing the inundation of the river into the workings and the mass of bagged clay dropped on a raft into the riverbed to fill the gap, with the Brunels' engineering assistant Richard Beamish examining the state of the shield with the aid of a bull's-eye; lantern, his companion in a boat; feint caption in pencil "No. 8"
Cross-section of the Tunnel and displaced ground
Watercolour illustrating a "Cross Section of the Tunnel showing the extent of displaced ground" at Trinity High Water and Low Water, signed by Joseph Pinchback.
Watercolour of the timbering for the removal of the old Shield
Watercolour depicting the "Timbering for the Removal of the Old Shield/ Side Timbering", signed "Rich. Beamish"; cut from a larger sheet
Sketch of a proposed cylindrical tunnel
Autograph sketch-plan by Brunel showing two sections of the proposed cylindrical tunnel, one empty, the other with a coach passing through with wounded veteran and prosperous gentleman across the divide, dated "10 April 1818", and captioned "Two Tunnels of 17 f[eet]. D[iameter] each would be preferable to one of 24 feet".
‘Cross-section of a Tunnel for the use of infantry, shown in its full extent’
Watercolour of a proposed Tunnel for military use, drawn by Joseph Pinchback in 1818 and captioned in French by Marc Brunel
Watercolour of proposed three-part Shield
Watercolour showing a section of a tripartite shield with twelve miners at work in the shield; with partial ink border and seemingly a companion piece of LDBRU:2017.11, originally part of the same sheet.
Watercolour of proposed three-part tunnel
Watercolour representing a section of the tunnel, showing on the left a stagecoach riding through the tunnel, to the centre and right men at work in the shield; with partial ink border (cut from a larger sheet).
Four views of the Tunnelling Shield
A technical illustration of one of Brunel’s early designs for a method of tunnelling.
Section of tunnel with overlay (overlay)
Watercolour depicting a section of the tunnel with overlay. The under section shows the shield with its twelve iron frames as seen from the front. The overplay places the brick-work double tunnel entrance over the shield.
Section of tunnel with overlay (under section)
Watercolour depicting a section of the tunnel with overlay. The under section shows the shield with its twelve iron frames as seen from the front. The overplay places the brick-work double tunnel entrance over the shield.
Watercolour of the Tunnel and Shield
Watercolour depicting a section of the tunnel, shield and movable stage, showing one of the arches not yet cut out from the encasing brickwork, attributed to Joseph Pinchback.
Watercolour of the Rotherhithe Shaft
Watercolour depicting the "Mode of Sinking the Shaft" which shows the Rotherhithe shaft surmounted by a steam engine powering buckets-and-pulley soil extraction, with miners digging at the face, attributable to Joseph Pinchback.
Watercolour of the second tunnelling Shield
Watercolour depicting section of one of the iron frames comprising the shield used in the construction of the Thames Tunnel, signed and dated "A.H.C./ June 1836",
Watercolour of proposed tunnelling Shield
Watercolour depicting three miners at work in the tunnel; shows how miners would dig forward, and the whole shield would be driven forward by hydraulics, in exactly the way that was eventually used, on a larger scale, in the "Great Shield"
Sketch of damage following flooding
Pen-and-ink sketch of the "State in which the Polling boards were found after the eruption of the river & the water had been pumped out", with dates indicated at the head showing progress between December 14 and December 16, possibly attributed to William Hawes, brother of Benjamin Hawes, friend of Isambard Kingdom Brunel (initialled Wm H.)
Print of one frame of the Shield
A small woodcut engraving of isometrical sketch (based on the watercolour isometrical projection) depicting sections of the "Great Shield", credited to 'R. Beamish' and 'W. Warrington'.
Watercolour of one frame of the Shield
Watercolour depicting an "Isometrical projection of one of the Twelve Iron Frames forming the Shield/ shewing
the manner in which the ground in front was altogether supported", headed "One Frame", signed R. Beamish.
Watercolour cross-section of the Tunnel
Watercolour depicting a cross-section of the whole tunnel (attributable to Brunel's chief mechanical draftsman, Joseph Pinchback), extending halfway across the river, including the Rotherhithe shaft plus sump and nearby buildings.
Sketch of a descent in the diving bell
Sketch by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, dated 1827, depicting his descent in a diving bell to inspect the damage following a flood in the Thames Tunnel.
Blue-rimmed pottery plate Thames Tunnel
Pottery plate showing the TT and with blue rim and alphabet embossed on plate
Pottery plate Thames Tunnel
Pottery plate showing the Thames Tunnel with decorative rim and with text starting '1200 Feet Long'
Thames Tunnel Dual-Layer Peepshow
A contemporary dual-layer peepshow before 1843, with vista above and below the Thames
German lithographic print of the Thames Tunnel
Two-colour German lithographic print of twelve views of the Thames Tunnel with descriptive text, printed in March 1828 by Rudolph Schlicht in Mannheim and entitled 'Drawings of the Road linking Rotherhithe to Wapping in London under the Thames, called The Tunnel'.
Marc Brunel mezzotint
This print depicts Marc Brunel early in his career in Britain, before work had begun on the Tunnel. It was published on 30 March 1815 by Charles Turner (1773-1857), a London engraver and publisher, and reproduces an oil painting done by James Northcote (1746-1831). Prints such as this were central to the 19th-century art market and provided far greater publicity than could be achieved through a single copy of a painting, with this print therefore contributing to raising Brunel’s public profile. The print was done in mezzotint, a technique widely used for reproducing oil paintings, at an important moment in the history of engraving in Britain.
Brunel tunnel watercolour
Watercolour of the Thames Tunnel and river above by Marc Brunel, 1835
Yates shaft watercolour
A fine and important topographical water colour of the Shaft of the Thames Tunnel by George Yates, dated 1835
Thames Tunnel Stereoscopic Peepshow
A contemporary peepshow circa 1852, with a vista of the Tunnel
Sectional Model of Thames Tunnel Under Construction
Sectional model of Thames tunnel, 1826, by Severn-Lamb Limited, England
‘Leviathan’ Scrimshaw Shell
Shell engraved with a picture of a steam vessel, captioned: ‘Steam ship Leviathan. Designed by I.K. Brunel Esqr. F.R.S. Built by I.J. Russel Esq. Launch 31 Jany. 1856. Tonnage 24000 tons, Power 2600 horses, Length 690 feet, depth 60 ft.’ The shell has had the outer surface polished to reveal the mother-of-pearl.
Polyorama Panoptique et Diagraphique pour Dessiner d’Après Nature
When placed in a special viewer with the lid closed, The Thames view is seen; when the lid is raised and light enters the box, the front image disappears, revealing the hidden image behind. In the Spooner Protean View presented by the Art Fund the tunnel
Spooner’s Protean View No. 28: The Thames Tunnel
Spooner produced several examples although little is known about the artist. This work depicts a view of The Thames Tunnel which changes into the Coronation Procession from Buckingham Palace when the lithograph is lit from behind.
Marc Brunel shoe buckles
Pair of rounded oblong shoe buckles, originally belonging to Sir Marc Brunel, decorated with paste glass gemstones
East London Line commemorative medal
Commemorative medallion issued at closure of East London line in 2007
Commemorative cotton/linen handkerchief
Cream cotton/linen handkerchief with printed design in red, commemorating: "The Thames Tunnel opened the 25th day of March 1843.” The central illustration of the grand staircase is most similar to an engraving by Thomas H. Ellis, with additional figures added to the scene. The diagram of the Thames Tunnel is similar to one by William Westall. The quality of the handkerchief suggests it was a mass-produced, relatively cheap souvenir for visitors to the Thames Tunnel, that could have been bought within the tunnel itself.
Cheque signed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
A cheque from Isambard Kingdom Brunel dated December 8th 1835
Thames Tunnel Peepshow with barge
A contemporary Peepshow, circa 1852, with Queen Victoria's barge
Sectional Model of Second Thames Tunnel Shield
Model of part of Marc Brunel's Thames tunnel second shield installed 1836 Scale 1/2" to 1ft