February 23. — A fire engine cylinder was landed at Wincomblee coal staith, on the river Tyne, for the use of Walker colliery, which surpassed everything of the kind which had been seen in the north. The diameter of the bore measured upwards of 74 inches, and it was 10½ feet in length. Its weight, exclusive of the bottom and the piston, was 6½ tons, containing altogether between 10 and 11 tons of metal. The bore was turned perfectly round and well polished. It was considered a complete piece of work, and did honour to Colebrook Dale Foundry, in Shropshire, where it was manufactured. When the engine to which this cylinder was attached was completed, it would have a force to raise water above 307 cwt. [LRS]

June. — This month, Joseph Oxley, of Russel’s factory, near Newcastle, obtained a patent for an invention of a machine for drawing coals out of coal pits by the help of fire. [LRS]

October 8. — Was launched from Holy Island harbour, a vessel named the Sally, built by Mr. Edward Byram. It was a very handsome vessel of 25 keels of coals. [LRS]

December 1. — Early in the morning it began to rain at Newcastle, with the wind at S.E., which continued that day with the wind very high and veering between E. and N.E. At Shields, his majesty’s ship Solebay, and about 20 light and laden colliers broke from their moorings and drove towards the bar; but the weather soon after becoming temperate, and the wind changing to the southward, the Solebay ad most of the others were brought to and got safe into harbour. [LRS]

 

 

• LRS — Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events by John Sykes, Published in 1833 in two volumes