Page "Marc Isambard Brunel" Paragraph 10

During the summer of 1799 Brunel was introduced to Henry Maudslay, a talented machine tool maker who had been a manager for Joseph Bramah, and had recently started his own business.

Maudslay made working models of the machine for making pulley blocks, and Brunel approached Samuel Bentham, the Inspector General of Naval Works.

In April 1802 Bentham recommended the installation of Brunel's block-making machinery at Portsmouth Block Mills.

Brunel's machine could be operated by unskilled workers, at ten times the previous rate of production.

Altogether 45 machines were installed at Portsmouth, and by 1808 the plant was producing 130, 000 blocks per year.

Unfortunately for Brunel, the Admiralty vacillated over payment, despite that fact that Brunel had spent more than £ 2, 000 of his own money on the project.

In August 1808 they agreed to pay £ 1, 000 on account, and two years later they consented to a payment of just over £ 17, 000.