Catalogue description Special Collections: Fairbank Collection

This collection was donated to York Museum by Mr. Bennet, of Smith Denton & Co., Surveyors, Sheffield, through the auspices of Mr. Fred Bland of Sheffield, who had been instrumental in obtaining the 'Briggs Collection" for the York Museum (See notes with Piece 37). It comprises letters from many persons concerning the making of various railways, some of which did not come to maturity. The letters include some from William Fairbanks, Senior, Josiah Fairbanks, William Fairbanks (son), and William Fairbanks (grandson), (who were prominent surveyors in Sheffield during the period covered). George, and Robert Stephenson, John, and Sir John Rennie, John Dixon and others are also represented.

Also included are circulars to shareholders, plans, surveys, records of land and landowners, and many other papers relating to numerous aspects of railway construction; together with collections of expenses accounts, bills for inn expenses on appropriate, and sometimes attractively, headed paper.

The whole collection presents an interesting and valuable picture of the making of early railways, ranging as it does from the year 1817 to the year 1847. The arrangement is alphabetical, by company, with some miscellanea at the end.