The Newcomen Society for the History of Engineering and Technology

Welcome to the Newcomen Website

Newcomen was founded in 1920. It is the oldest society in the world specialising in the history of engineering and technology and has published over a 1000 papers, an invaluable archive of original research material for historians. Newcomen takes its name from Thomas Newcomen(bap. 1664, d.1729), who invented the first practical working steam engine but its interests are broad and international, embracing all aspects of engineering from ancient times, through the great inventions of the 18th and 19th centuries to the sophisticated technologies of the 20th century and into the digital age.

News

Victorian Society Winter 2012 Lectures

1 Dec — Throughout the months of January and February, the Victorian Society are conducting a series of s...

Events

The centenary of Britain's first public automatic telephone exchange

8 Feb — A talk is to be given by John Liffen, titled The centenary of Britain’s first public automatic te...

The Welsh Highland Railway

7 Mar — A lecture by John Sreeves. The spectacularly scenic Welsh Highland Railway closed in 1937 afte...

The Olympic Site

14 Mar — A talk is to be given by John Armitt, titled 'The Olympic Site'. Wednesday 14th March 2012 17...