Record

Ref No	DM1306/11/1/6/folio 70-71
Title	Letter from Charles Bidfield of the Patent Wood or Fibrous Slab Company Limited to Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Description	Written from 15 Wellington Street, North Strand. The letter informs Brunel that Mr Croome has been appointed as the Engineer to the Thames District and that he has arranged with John Scott Russell for the application of fibrous slab where necessary on the Great Eastern. Bidfield confirms that the necessary drawings are being made for Mr Crace to use and that the Great Eastern has been supplied with some material for covering ship boilers and lining iron bulkheads between fire rooms and ship holds. The letter remarks that pine, rather than fibrous slab has been used to cover the boilers of the Great Eastern while Brunel was absent in Egypt. Bidfield also raises a question about the covering of the iron decks and several other places which, Croome understands is for Brunel to decide. The letter also sends Brunel one of the company's brochures and also remarks that Captain Newland of the Royal Bride has had the pine ceiling removed from underneath the accommodation decks of the Royal Bride and replaced with fibrous slab, as well as mentioning some of the other places where Fibrous Slab has been used, including the Westminster Hotel.
Date	20 May 1859
Format	Manuscript volume
Extent	2 pages
Access Conditions	This material is held at the Brunel Institute - please contact the Brunel Institute to arrange access.

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