Drawings & Watercolours from the Collection of a Connoisseur

HAYMAN ROOKE (BRITISH 1722-1806)
An annotated sketch of the apparatus designed for fitting the balloon launched at Mansfield Woodhouse on Thursday June 24th 1784
signed by Hayman Rooke Esq., upper right and with detailed annotations below diagram and upper right:
A sketch of the stage and apparatus for fitting the Balloon launch'd at Mansfield Thursday June of 24th 1784 - No 1. a stage erected on a wagon. No 2. Barrels with inflammable air, on the tops were small apertures, for vitriolic acid stoped closed with corks, the inflammable air was conducted by three tin tubes, communicating with the Balloon, which was made of paper varnished and ornamented with flowers. No 3. a pail of water with which the tine tubes were frequently cool'd. No 4. diagonal ascent - The Balloon was fifteen feet in circumference. NB. Balloon was taken up near Branmpton, 3 miles from Belvoir Castle so that it travelled at a rate of 40 miles an hour.
pencil and grey wash with brown ink inscriptions on laid paper with fleur-de-lis watermark
19 x 23 cm (7 1/2 x 9 in)

Hayman Rooke was an antiquary and artist who explored the Roman ruins near his home at Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire and published articles and notes in various scholarly publications. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

He is particularly associated with Roman finds around Mansfield Woodhouse and was a pioneer archaeologist within the county of Nottinghamshire. Despite having no formal training, he was knowledgeable in a range of archaeological fields, and a frequent contributor to the journal Archaeologia between 1776 and 1796. He wrote about the Romans as well as writing about medieval churches and local great estates such as Welbeck, Bolsover, Haddon Hall and Thoresby.

The 1,000 year old Major Oak which Rooke described in 1790 is named in his honour and in recognition of his writings and love of Sherwood Forest.