James Simmons, master paper-maker of Haslemere in Surrey, kept a diary from 1831 until shortly before his death in 1868. It consisted of thirty-eight booklets most of which are made from paper he had produced himself. They present a fascinating account of his family and business affairs. The references to his paper-making activities form only a part of the diaries and it is these extracts, in the main, which are contained in the book. They provide a significant contribution to the understanding of the life of a paper-maker during a difficult period of the 19th century.

The Premier Cooler and Engineering Co., Ltd. manufactured wooden cooling towers and miscellaneous steel industrial equipment at its Station Works, Shalford, near Guildford, Surrey between 1920 and 1966. Premier Cooler was one of Shalford’s largest employers. Their products were installed in many power plants, chemical works, collieries and steel works in Britain and around the world.