Title

Surveyor's Level

Manufacturer

E.R. Watts & Son

Original Owner

K.G. Polyblank - written in ink on top of box lid - a railway surveyor.

Other Names

Surveryor's case

dumpy level

Manufacturer Notes

E.R. Watts & Son, Surveyor`s and Architects Instruments and Materials. Head Office and Works, 123 Camberwell Rd. London S.E. England. Ottawa 200 Wellington St; 408 Portage Ave Winnipeg. Àll kinds of surveying instruments (by any maker) can be repaired at our Winnipeg Store by experienced workmen trained in our London Works.

Category

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Sub-Category

SURVEYING AND NAVIGATIONAL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT

Place Of Manufacture

England: London

Place Used

Used for railroad and highway surveys.

Start Date

1905

End Date

1981

Period or Date Notes

Taken from original accession card. Bought for $25 in 1935 and it was 30 years old at that time.

Description

a: A brown rectangular wooden case cover in leather with straps secured with brass buckles. There is a sturdy leather handle on the top of the case - also 2 leather back straps attached at the centre top with a large `brass `D`ring. This ring is attached to the case by a large `tear drop`piece of leather which has been screwed into place with 5 screws. The other ends of the back straps are screwed to the ends of the case - about 6.5 cm up from the bottom corner. A Canadian National Express sticker in on the front of the case. The name of the previous owner is neatly written in ink on the top "R.G Polyblank". Two rectangular pieces of leather (8.6cm x 5.5cm) cover two heavy brass hook closures. The hooks are unusual in that they angular like the number 7. They are screed on at the bottom and hook over a brass screw. The leather flap stops them from working loose under the strap. There are two leather strap guides on the front. These are screwed on with 6 screws each and are 8.5 cm 2.5cm long x 2.5 cm wide. Attached to the bottom of the box is a small, brown round 'container' with "Fitting for Telescope Cap" printed on the top. b:Tall wooden tripod to secure surveyor's level with a round brass threaded mountin plate at the top. The brass plate is attached to the legs with 3 large brass wing nuts. The bottom tip of each leg has a pointed metal piece attached to it. Two of the tips are 9cm long, the third one which on the repaired leg is 7cm long. The two longer metal tips have a half round tab on one side at the top. The tab on the shorter tip is 1.3 cm down from the top. c: A wide brass ring which screws on to the tripod base. One end is threaded on the inside & has a 0.3cm wide rim. The outside of the same end has two narrow rows of patterened engraving to give a 'gripping' surface. From this the outside curves in slightly & down to a rounded edge. d-e: Scope and base. Scope has Manufacture's name and the number 3396 on one side. The level is mounted underneath it. f: Spare Bubble for level - Stored in a triangular wooden enclosure in the front right hand corner of the box. NOTE - This was not taken out of the compartment for fear of breakage. g: Spare eye piece for the scope h-j: Small round metal container that screws together h-i; Contains j which is a small ring with 2 brass screws attached. k: Copper cylindrical tube with open ends (possible a lense hood - note taken from donor card.) l-n: Three spare needles, one larger than the other two

Narrative

Donor file card has info and pieces identified with their letters

History Of Use

Used in Quebec and BC - including the Skeena Region. This is a common surveying instrument. There were only two kinds of levels availabe when the railway cam, to be used in surveying. These were the "Y"level and the dumpy. The level was made by E.R. Watts & Sons, London, England. The level was bought by mother-for-father in 1935 for $25 used. It was 30 years ol then. The previous owner was Polyblank - a railway surveyor. Thomas Edward Clarke was born in Bothwell, Ont. in 1888, came west in 1908. In Edmonton he was hired as Chainman for Garnet Hughts on preliminary location of GTP to Jasper; reached Jasper Christmas 1908. Then he continued surveying until 1960 in different areas of BC In 1926 he was the Assistant District Engineer for Dept. of Public Works in Smithers. The Central Park building was 6 yrs. old then and he had an office on the second floor. The position he had was equivalent to the current position of "Highways Superintendant". (In 1926 conversion had just been made from Horse and wagon to trucks.)He was involved with initial road building in the province.

Material

METAL/ALLOY-BRASS; ANIMAL-LEATHER;

Height

27 cnm

Width

14.5 cm

Length

43 cm

Units Of Measurement

Centimeters

Number Of Parts

14

Accession No.

1986.12.1 a-n

Model Name or No.

Instrument numberL 3396; Constant 21.75 inches (scope)

Type of Record

Museum Artifact

Less detail