Editing Henry Maudslay (section)

=== Henry Maudslay and Company ===
In 1797, after having worked for Bramah for eight years, Maudslay was refused a wage increase to 30s a week so he decided to set up his own business.<ref name=rolt/> In 1798 he obtained a small shop and smithy in Wells Street, off Oxford Street. In 1800 he moved to larger premises in Margaret Street, Cavendish Square.

By 1810, Maudslay was employing 80 workers and running out of room at his workshop, hence moved to larger premises in Westminster Bridge 
Road, Lambeth. Maudslay also recruited a promising young Admiralty draughtsman, [[Joshua Field (engineer)|Joshua Field]], who proved to be so talented that Maudslay took him into partnership. The company later became [[Maudslay, Sons and Field]] when Maudslay's sons became partners.<ref name=rolt/>

====Block making machines====
[[File:Gilbert Blockmaking 1965 Figure 4 Page011.jpg|thumb|Rigging block from HMS ''Victory''<ref name="Gilbert, 1965" >{{cite book 
  |title=The Portsmouth Blockmaking Machinery: A Pioneering Enterprise in Mass Production
  |last=Gilbert  |first=K.R.
  |publisher=[[HMSO]], for the [[Science Museum (London)|Science Museum]]
  |year=1965
  |ref=Gilbert, 1965
  |url=https://archive.org/details/portsmputh-blockmaking-machinery
  |quote=...the first instance of the use of machine tools for mass production.
}}</ref>]]
Following earlier work by [[Samuel Bentham]], his first major commission was to build a series of 42 woodworking machines to produce wooden rigging blocks (each ship required thousands) for the Navy under Sir [[Marc Isambard Brunel]]. The machines were installed in the purpose-built [[Portsmouth Block Mills]], which still survive, including some of the original machinery. The machines were capable of making 130,000 ships' blocks a year, needing only ten unskilled men to operate them compared with the 110 skilled workers needed before their installation.<ref>Deane 1965, page 131</ref> This was the first well-known example of specialized machinery used for machining in an assembly-line type factory.<ref name=rolt/><ref name="Gilbert, 1965"/><ref name="Rees, 1819" >{{cite book
  |last=Rees  |first=A.
  |title=The Cyclopaedia of Arts, Science, and Literature
  |chapter=Machinery
  |volume=XXI
  |year=1819
  |location=London
}} An entire chapter devoted to the Portsmouth machinery, of 18 pages and 7 plates.</ref>

====Micrometer====
Maudslay invented the first bench [[Micrometer (device)|micrometer]] capable of measuring to one ten-thousandth of an inch (0.0001 in ≈ 3 [[micrometre|μm]]). He called it the "Lord Chancellor", as it was used to settle any questions regarding accuracy of workmanship.<ref name=rolt/>

====Marine engines====
[[File:Maudslay HMS Dee Model Engines Gilbert Page030.jpg|thumb|A model of the Maudslay-built twin [[Marine steam engine#Side-lever|side-lever]] engines installed in the 1832 paddle steamer ''Dee'']]
Maudslay's Lambeth works began to specialize in the production of [[marine steam engine]]s. The type of engine he used for ships was a side-lever design, in which a beam was mounted alongside the cylinder. This reduced height in the cramped engine rooms of steamers. His first marine engine was built in 1815, of 17 h.p., and fitted to a Thames steamer named the ''Richmond''. In 1823 a Maudslay engine powered the ''Lightning'', the first steam-powered vessel to be commissioned by the [[Royal Navy]]. In 1829 a side-lever engine of 400 h.p. completed for {{HMS|Dee|1832|6}} was the largest marine engine existing at that time.<ref name="Gilbert1971"/>

The marine engine business was developed by Henry's third son, Joseph Maudslay (1801 - 1861). He had trained in shipbuilding at Northfleet and, with [[Joshua Field (engineer)|Joshua Field]], became a partner in his father's firm, trading as [[Maudslay, Sons and Field]] of North Lambeth. 
In 1838, after Henry's death, the Lambeth works supplied a 750 h.p. engine for [[Isambard Kingdom Brunel]]'s [[SS Great Western|SS ''Great Western'']], the first purpose-built transatlantic steamship. They patented a double cylinder direct acting engine in 1839. They introduced some of the earliest screw propulsion units for ships, including one for the first Admiralty screw steamship, {{HMS|Rattler|1843|6}}, in 1841. By 1850 the firm had supplied more than 200 vessels with steam engines,<ref name=rolt/> though the firm's dominance was being challenged by [[John Penn (engineer)|John Penn]]'s [[trunk engine]] design. They exhibited their engines at the [[1862 International Exhibition]].

====Thames Tunnel====
[[File:Thamestunnel.jpg|thumb|250px|Interior of the Thames Tunnel, mid-19th century]]

In 1825, [[Marc Isambard Brunel]] began work on the [[Thames Tunnel]], intended to link [[Rotherhithe]] with [[Wapping]]. After many difficulties this first tunnel under the Thames was completed in 1842. The tunnel would not have been possible without the innovative tunneling shield designed by Marc Brunel and built by Maudslay Sons & Field at their Lambeth works. Maudslay also supplied the steam-driven pumps that were important for keeping the tunnel workings dry.<ref name=bagust>Bagust, Harold, "The Greater Genius?", 2006, Ian Allan Publishing, {{ISBN|0-7110-3175-4}}</ref>