Bartosz Kozak

The first professional geodetic network on Polish soil was established in 1829-1835. It was created for the mines and factories of the Old Polish Industrial District, which remained the largest centre of mining and metallurgy in Poland until the end of the 19th century. The main measuring point was established on the summit of Mount Łysica in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains. However, it was promptly destroyed and, despite detailed data published by one director of the project, Professor F.S. Armiński, it has only recently been rediscovered. Test excavations undertaken in 2019 revealed numerous inconsistencies between the archival data and the actual construction of the uncovered foundations.

The article describes the former power plant complex at the State Powder and Crushing Materials Factory in Zagożdżon (now Pionki), dating back to the mid-1920s. It begins with an introduction outlining the company’s history, followed by a presentation of the history of the power plant and accompanying facilities, with a focus on the evolution of technical equipment and related architectural layers. Subsequently, an analysis of the architectural form of the complex is conducted, aiming to determine the historical value of the objects. Finally, the article describes the complex’s current state of preservation, its evaluation, and conservation recommendations.

The article presents the research areas and scientific achievements of the members of the History of Technology Research Unit in 2022. Their research covered a diverse range of topics within the history of science, technology, and economic history, spanning from the 17th to the 20th c. Some of these issues were analyzed from environmental and sociological perspectives. The investigated topics included the history of railroad transportation and inland navigation, the environmental history of Polesie, economic activity in the Old Polish Industrial District, the history of cinematography, and the presentation of achievements of noteworthy scientists and inventors. Additionally, the Unit actively engaged in initiatives to support the preservation of technical cultural heritage, creating a substantial foundation that facilitated the legal protection of objects of historical value. Through its multidirectional scope, the research highlights the importance of studying the history of technology and economic developments in shaping our understanding of global history.

The article contains the instruction for charcoalers and state officials supervising them, which was developed in 1826 by the Government Commission of Revenues and Treasury of the Kingdom of Poland. The document is provided with a historical commentary. The edited source contains information on charcoaling technology and the organization of charcoal production for the needs of government iron industry. The said instruction was in force between 1827–1828 and was withdrawn at the beginning of 1829.

Mateusz Siembab, Andrzej J. Wójcik, Zarys dziejów huty żelaza w Ząbkowicach (1763–1794), Instytut Historii Nauki im. L. i A. Birkenmajerów Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Warszawa 2020, ss. 215.

The article is a review of Zarys dziejów huty żelaza w Ząbkowicach (1763–1794) [Outline of the history of the ironworks in Ząbkowice (1763–1794)] by Mateusz Siembab and Andrzej J. Wójcik. The content of the work was subjected to critical analysis, confronting it with the findings of other authors. Information on industrial plants in the Siewierz center was compared with the data for selected facilities in the Old-Polish Industrial District. A similarity was found between the two industrial centers, both in technical and organizational terms.

The article describes the hitherto unknown remains of the measuring station from 1828, determined by Franciszek Armiński as the starting point of the reference system for the Triangular Network of the Old-Polish Industrial Region in 1829–1835. The author also presents postulates regarding the protection of the discovered residues and popularization of knowledge about them.

The article presents the Survey of the Samsonów complex from 1809, with a historical commentary. The document contains information on the condition of the mining and metallurgy industry, with particular emphasis on blast furnaces in Samsonów and Szałas, fryers, ore supply, organisation of miners’ work, supply of wood for charring, and organisation of charcoal production.