Description:Soho Foundry was built in 1795-6 and was the first purpose built steam engine manufactory in the world. It has also been suggested that it was the first factory in the world with a planned production line layout. Both Matthew Robinson Boulton and James Watt junior worked hard to ensure that the layout of the production processes was logical and movement of large engine cylinders was kept to a minimum.
This pencil drawing of the Foundry by John Phillp is one of only two images of the site at this time. The other is by William Creighton who worked at the Soho Manufactory and is now in the collections of Glasgow Museum of Transport.
This image is from the Phillp album, a collection of watercolours and sketches by John Phillp (c.1778-1815). Phillp may have been Matthew Boulton's son but the evidence is inconclusive. He was born in Falmouth, Cornwall and came to Soho in 1793. Boulton paid for William Hollins to teach him architectural drawing in 1795. During his time at Soho he produced designs for silver, plate, medals and tokens.
Conservation and cleaning had to be undertaken on the album before it could be scanned and this was carried out as part of the Digital Handsworth Project.