University of Manchester

The John Rylands Library’s science, technology and medicine collections are among the University of Manchester Library’s most significant research resources, documenting the development of scientific knowledge from the medieval period to the present day.
 

Comprising manuscripts, archives, printed books, photographs and ephemera, the collections span disciplines including chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology, biological sciences, engineering, computing and medicine. While global in scope, they are particularly distinguished by their exceptional coverage of Manchester’s role as a center of scientific innovation from the eighteenth century onwards, reflecting the city’s contributions to industrialization, higher education and technological discovery.

The history of science and technology collections are especially rich in the papers of internationally significant scientists and engineers. Highlights include the papers of John Dalton, containing his research notebooks and correspondence, alongside the archives of Edward Frankland, Henry Roscoe and Durward Cruickshank, which document the development of modern chemistry and crystallography. The Partington Collection of printed books is especially rich in works on chemistry, embracing every aspect of the science from the early Greek and Arabic treatises, through the chemical revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, to modern researches into atomic chemistry.
 

Other major strengths include the archives of Arthur Schuster in physics, William Boyd Dawkins and Samuel Hibbert-Ware in geology, and the internationally important Jodrell Bank Observatory Archive, which traces the emergence of radio astronomy under Sir Bernard Lovell.
 

The collections also preserve outstanding resources for the biological sciences, natural history and mathematics, ranging from early printed botanical and zoological works to the papers of leading researchers such as Henry Baker, Sydney Hickson and Claude Wardlaw. The Mathematical Printed Works Collection charts the history of mathematics from ancient times to the 19th century, with eminent mathematicians from every period represented in early or significant editions.

The Library is also home to one of the UK's foremost collections for the history of computing. The nationally significant History of Computing Collection preserves the papers of pioneers including Alan Turing, F. C. Williams, Tom Kilburn and Dieter Prinz, alongside the archives of major computer manufacturers such as LEO Computers and ICL. Complementing these are extensive collections of technical manuals, trade literature and organisational archives that chart the development of digital computing from the 1940s onwards. Together, these resources provide unparalleled evidence for the technological, industrial and social history of computing in Britain and internationally.
 

The history of medicine collections reflect Manchester’s long-standing importance as a center for medical education, research and healthcare. Built through close relationships with institutions such as the Manchester Medical Society and Manchester Royal Infirmary, the collections encompass medieval medical manuscripts, rare printed books, hospital archives, professional society records and the personal papers of leading clinicians. Particular strengths include the Manchester Medical Collection, archives documenting regional medical practice and public health, and internationally important printed holdings dating from the fifteenth century onwards. Together, these resources offer exceptional opportunities for research into the history of medicine, public health, medical education and healthcare, both within Manchester and in wider national and international contexts.