Joshua Routledge

of Bolton-le-Moor

Joshua Routledge (27 April 1773 – 8 February 1829) was an engineer and inventor.

c.1800-1810 he invented and patented Routledge's Engineer's Rule, a folding boxwood or ivory rule incorporating a slide rule and embossed with tables of data. Many examples were produced, by a number of companies, including G. and T. Bradburn, Thomas Bradburn and Sons of Birmingham, R. Field and Son (probably Robert Field and Son) of Birmingham, John Rabone and Sons of Birmingham, T. Aston of Birmingham, J. Chadwick of Manchester.

Routledge pattern rules were made in the USA by the E. A, Stearn & Co, the Stanley Rule & Level Co, and the Chapin-Stephens Co.

1878 Rabone catalogue entry showing various Routledge rules here.

See here for interesting information about aspects of the history of the rule, including errors, some of which were copied for many years, including number 406 instead of 106 in the last column of the 'Pumping Engines' table.

1810 Moved to Bolton and became a partner in the foundry of Thompson, Swift and Co.

1811 Joshua Routledge, ironfounder of Bolton, married Mrs. Frances Abel on 14 July.. This was his second wife.

1811 NOTICE is hereby given, that the partnership lately carried on by us, the Undersigned at Little Bolton, in the county of Lancaster, Iron Founders and Steam Engine Makers, under the firm Thompson, Swift and company, was this day dissolved by mutual consent, so far as relates to the said Joshua Routledge. All debts due to or owing by the said concern will be paid and received by Thomas Thompson, William Swift, and Samuel Thompson — Dated the thirtieth day of October.
THOS THOMPSON
WM. SWIFT
SAMUEL THOMPSON
JOSA ROUTLEDGE
Witness. Thos Merry.'

1818 Patented a rotary steam engine. His working model is in the possession of the London Science Museum. It was described and illustrated in Repertory of Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture.

A portrait shows Routledge with an example of his rngineers' and mechanics' ruler and a model of his patent steam engine

1822 - 1824 In partnership with William Kay of Bury.

1824 Partnership dissolved: William Kay and Joshua Routledge of Bury, ironfounders.'

1824 Routledge went to Poland, where he worked for or with Thomas Evans & Co of Warsaw, the foreunners of Lilpop, Rau and Loewestein.

1829 Routledge died in Poland on 8 February in a state of near penury, having received little or no payment or support from his employers during his illness.

The Wikipedia entry is an excellent source of information and references relating to Routledge. It incudes a portrait of Routledge holding one of his rules, and sitting alongside his model patent engine.

See here for a description of Routledge's Rule.

It seems that information on Routledge is sparse. This source offers the following information:-

1773 Born at Ricall, Yorkshire, on 27 April.

1800 Became manager at Murray and Wood, Leeds.

1814 - 1818 Running his own ironmonger's business. The Wikipedia entry gives the address as 26 Deansgate in Bolton

1824 Went to Poland to work for as Engineer in Charge of the erection of a steam corn mill, whose machinery was apparently made by the Haigh Foundry Co of Wigan.

1828 Routledge was suffering from cancer. His diary indicated that Thomas Moore Evans owed him money. In addition to the illness, he and his wife were suffering form lack of food. He died on 8 February, and was buried in the Lutherian burial ground in Warsaw.

The Wikipedia entry states that Routledge contracted a cancerous tumor while in Poland where he died on 8 February 1829 in a state of near penury, having received little or no payment or support from his employers during his illness. An 1888 newspaper article quoted one of the last entries in his diary: "F [Fanny, his wife] been up to Evans for money, but he did not give any; did nothing but abuse me as usual; and she abused him as ill, but he is callous to everything." After Joshua's death, Frances returned to Bolton with their three children: William (1812–1872), Frances (1814–1872), and Henry (1817–1884). William and Henry went into engineering along with their half-brother Samuel Abel. William and Henry both inherited the inventive spirit of their father, having, between the two, qualified for numerous mechanical patents in their day. Their sister Frances remained unmarried and nothing more of her career is known.

See Also

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