Newcomen (formerly The Newcomen Society) was founded in 1920 by a group of Science Museum curators, industrialists and practising engineers to study the history of engineering in its widest sense. The Society was named for Thomas Newcomen, whose invention of the first practical working steam engine in the early 18th century enabled the great industrial and technological achievements which led to our modern age. Newcomen’s International Journal contains over 1000 peer-reviewed papers which reflect every aspect of these achievements, both nationally and internationally. These papers comprise an unparalleled corpus of original research material which forms the foundation of many subsequent studies.

Subjects include:

• Civil, mechanical, structural, chemical, aeronautical, electrical and marine engineering.
• Inland navigation, railways, roads, bridges.
• Water supply, dock & harbour engineering, lighthouses.
• Mills and millwork.
• Stationary engines, locomotives, turbines, piston engines, steam, oil, petroleum and gas engines.
• Metallurgy, manufacturing and industrial plant, textile machinery.
• Computer engineering.
• Gas and electric lighting,heating and ventilation, sewage and drainage, public health engineering.

Full members are able to download free any of these papers. Membership of Newcomen also offers the opportunity to attend an annual programme of lectures in London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Manchester, Portsmouth and Edinburgh and to receive a quarterly newsletter.