Arthur Woolf

Arthur Woolf (born November 1766, Camborne, Cornwall; died October 26, 1837, Guernsey) was an English engineer.

He was baptized at Camborne in Cornwall on 4 November 1766, the eldest son of Arthur Woolf, a carpenter at Dolcoath Mine, and his wife, Jane Newton.

He was apprenticed to a carpenter at Pool, near Camborne, and after the expiry of his indentures he went to London

Woolf left Cornwall in 1785 to work for Joseph Bramah's engineering works in London. He worked there and at other firms as an engineer and engine builder until 1811, when he returned to Cornwall. Michael Loam, inventor of the man engine, was trained by him.

In 1803, Woolf obtained a patent on an improved boiler for producing high pressure steam. In 1805, he patented his best-known invention, a compound steam engine. Later the compound engine was known as machine de Woolf.

In 1813 and 1814 he erected steam stamps for crushing ore at Wheal Fanny, Redruth.

About 1814 he introduced his compound engine into the mines for the purpose of pumping, erecting engines at Wheal Abraham and Wheal Vor in 1814 and 1815.

In 1824 he erected engines at Wheal Busy

In 1825 he erected engines at Wheal Alfred and Wheal Sparnon

In 1827 he erected engines at Consolidated Mines.

From 1818 until May 1830 he was engineer at Consolidated Mines, and he was at various times consulting engineer to at least thirty Cornish mines.

At Wheal Abraham he established an informal school which produced notable local engineers such as Richard Jenkyn (c.1790–c.1860), Matthew Loam (1794–1875), and Michael Loam (1797–1872).

He also introduced improvements to Richard Trevithick's boiler design. His engines were, however, quickly superseded by Trevithick's high-pressure single-cylinder engine, which had the advantage of greater simplicity in construction.

From about 1816 until 1833 he acted as superintendent of Harveys of Hayle engine foundry.

He was also active as a civil engineer, and a notable construction was the swing-bridge he designed for the Penryn to Falmouth road.

Woolf's first wife died in 1830, aged sixty-seven, and on 15 June 1832 he married Emblin Vincent.

Arthur Woolf died at the Strand, Guernsey, on 26 October 1837.

Examples of Woolf compound rotative beam engines may be seen at Abbey Pumping Station and Claymills Pumping Station

Sources of Information

• [1] Wikipedia
• A Short History of Naval and Marine Engineering by E. C. Smith. Published 1937
• [2] DNB