Practical Masonry, Bricklaying, and Plastering, Both Plain and Ornamental is a substantial historical reference to the building trades. Thomas Kelly published this London edition in 1841. No author is named on the title page.
Several related trades in one volume
The preface explains the plan: group branches of construction that share related materials and operations. Masonry, bricklaying and plastering form the main divisions, followed by slating and a combined treatment of plumbing, painting and glazing.
The book seeks to connect theory with actual practice. Its contents range from geometrical lines for stonecutting to the description of building materials, the organization of brick bonds and the shaping of decorative plasterwork. Engraved plates accompany many of the explanations.
This breadth makes it useful for readers investigating the vocabulary and methods of nineteenth-century construction. It shows how several crafts were presented together to workmen, rather than as separate modern specialties with independent manuals.
Masonry and geometrical setting-out
The masonry division begins with arches and stonecutting. Plane and winding surfaces, semicircular and elliptical arches, oblique work, spherical vaults, domes and niches appear in the contents. Groined vaults and raking mouldings extend the treatment to more complicated forms.
Materials, mortars and cements follow. Later chapters consider foundations, walls, bridges, domes, groins, spires and lighthouses. The Eddystone and Bell Rock lighthouses are named examples, bringing large engineering works into the same volume as smaller building details.
Ornamental masonry, valuation of work and explanations of tools and technical terms complete this division. For the craft researcher, the combination of geometry, materials, examples and terminology is one of the book’s most useful features.
Bricklaying, vaulting and heated structures
The bricklaying division introduces the properties of bricks and the principles of English and Flemish bond. Wall construction and foundation materials lead into cylindrical vaults, warehouse and cellar vaulting, niches, tunnels and drains.
The contents refer to the London Docks, St. Catherine’s Docks, the Regent’s Canal and the Thames tunnel. These examples help place the discussion within the infrastructure and building activity of its time.
Ovens, boiler fireplaces, brewing coppers, retorts, furnaces and domestic fireplaces receive separate attention. These are historical descriptions of combustion and industrial construction. They are valuable for interpretation and research, rather than as present-day plans for a furnace or occupied building.
Plain and ornamental plastering
The plastering section surveys Gothic, Elizabethan, Roman, Grecian and French ornament. Materials and compositions for internal finishing appear alongside external compositions, Roman cement, terra cotta and mastic.
Operations include straight, circular and elliptical cornices, mouldings associated with groined ceilings and enriched ornament. The distinction between plain work and ornamental work runs through the division, showing how finishing techniques serve both the surface and the design of a room.
Plate descriptions and trade glossaries make this material useful when interpreting period specifications or drawings. A reader can compare the vocabulary with the illustrated form and then return to the relevant explanation.
Roofing and finishing trades
The slating division discusses slate qualities, laying methods, roof coverings and valuation. The final division covers plumbing, painting and glazing, including leadwork, paint preparation, windows and the materials employed in these trades.
These chapters preserve practices involving materials such as lead that require particular care today. Recipes, construction details and working recommendations should be understood in their 1841 context and checked against current health, conservation and building requirements before any practical use.
Audience and scan
This free ebook suits building historians, traditional craft researchers and readers studying old technical language. Its strength is its wide view of related trades, supported by detailed contents, glossaries and engraved illustrations. It is a period reference rather than a current building specification.
The PDF contains 374 digital pages, including preliminary material, text, plates and blanks. Some engravings are faint and some pages need enlargement. Printed page numbers, plate numbers and PDF positions differ, so use the contents and plate list together when locating a subject.
Book details
- Author: Not stated on the title page
- Publisher: Thomas Kelly, London
- Year: 1841
- Edition: No numbered edition stated
- Digital length: 374 PDF pages
- Language: English
- File size: 15.89 MB
