The full diary runs to some 14000 words and covers Patterson’s trip to Ireland to see family and on his return to UK visits to ironworks in the Midlands, Manchester, Bristol and London as well as South Wales.
As well as being a record of the technology of the day the diary also supplies insights into the social history of the time, transport and the weather – generally cold and wet according to Patterson not unsurprising since the period of travel included the whole of the winter of 1827-8.
