|
This page is part of a website based
on the life and achievements of eighteenth-century inventor Henry Cort. Please email site controller Eric Alexander
with any comments or queries. |
EARLY WORKS AT MERTHYR TYDFIL
|
Mr. Bacon was a man of
much activity, energy, and enterprise, and, obtaining a long lease of an
extensive tract of iron and coal country near Merthyr Tydvil, he entered into
large contracts with the Government for supplying the arsenals. He was the originator of one of the most
striking instances of modern creation of manufacturing enterprise. Merthyr Tydvil is situated in a wild part of Glamorganshire,
barren of everything except subterranean wealth; it was known at distant
times as a place for smelting iron ore, but the operations were never carried
on to any great extent, and the place remained an inconsiderable village
until about the middle of the last century.
Mr. Bacon created extensive works in different parts of his property,
which rapidly diffused industry and attracted population. From Gibbs's nineteenth-century
compendium, Buckinghamshire Worthies. |
The development of Merthyr into an
ironmaking centre can be traced to an agreement in 1758 to build a works
north-east of the town.
For many years iron ore mined at Dowlais
has been smelted elsewhere.
Now the demand for iron has increased with
the outbreak of the Seven Years War against France. Lessee Thomas Lewis reckons it is time to start smelting on site.
He sets up a nine-strong partnership to
install a blast furnace.
Partners are mostly from South Wales or
Bristol, but they include the enterprising Edward Blakeway from Shrewsbury and
ironmaster Isaac Wilkinson.
Isaac is responsible for building the
furnace. But if the partners are hoping
he will manage the works, they are soon disappointed.
A Broseley man, John Guest, is installed as
manager. Guest is bent on taking over
the works, and soon buys out all the partners except Lewis and Wilkinson.
Later he and Wilkinson combine to build a
new furnace on nearby land owned by the Earl of Plymouth, forming the basis of
the Plymouth ironworks.
At this point Isaac's Cumbria connections come into play.
Anthony Bacon's career has taken him from
Cumbria to Maryland, then back to London.
When the Seven Years War breaks out he becomes a Government contractor,
supplying British garrisons in Africa and the West Indies.
|
To attract the necessary ministerial understanding, Bacon obtained
election to the House of Commons from 1764 to 1784 from the venal and costly
borough of Aylesbury, previously represented by John
Wilkes. From entry for
Anthony Bacon in Oxford DNB. |
About this time William Brownrigg
approaches him with an idea for an ironworks north of Merthyr Tydfil.
|
In 1765 he leased lands and mining rights at
Cyfarthfa, Glamorgan, where he had a cousin by marriage, Dr William
Brownrigg, (and) built a coke-using ironworks. The next year Bacon purchased a share in the nearby Plymouth
works from Isaac Wilkinson and John Guest, its founder, and in 1780 he
purchased the balance of Plymouth plus the nearby Hirwaun works. At that point Bacon owned three of the
four significant coke iron furnaces in the Merthyr Tudful area. From entry for Anthony Bacon
in Oxford DNB. |
Besides his medical and scientific pursuits, Brownrigg invested both
time and money in a rope factory, iron mining, timber production, turnpike
construction, farms, and farm improvement. From entry for William
Brownrigg in Oxford DNB. |
They lease land, extract ore and build a
blast furnace, a foundry and a forge.
Brownrigg's brother-in-law Charles Wood is
brought in to erect a "pot-and-stamp"
finery.
When they find that the enterprise needs
more iron than can be produced on site, they buy the Plymouth furnace from
Wilkinson and Guest.
The
foundation is laid for what will become the biggest ironworks of the early
nineteenth century, after the involvement of Richard
Crawshay.
Meanwhile Isaac Wilkinson makes his last
career move, combining with Guest to set up works near Bristol.
This venture fails, leading to the "impoverishment" noted by his son-in-law
Joseph Priestley.
Guest survives the crash and remains at
Dowlais, which continues under his family for many generations.
|
RELATED TOPICS Cort’s promotion
efforts 1783-6 Shropshire
and Staffordshire ironmasters |
henrycort.net
fj