18th-century ironfounding: coke iron, air furnaces and cupolas
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Published
Nov 8, 2021
Abstract
The foundry trade developed as a separate branch of the iron industry in the first half of the 18th century. It mostly used coke pig iron, which was produced at Coalbrookdale and in a small number of other furnaces. This was rendered possible by Sir Clement Clerke’s development of the air furnace for remelting pig iron and of Abraham Darby’s patented method of casting pots in green sand. This paper considers the spread of coke smelting and of foundries with air furnaces in the 18th century, which are closely related to each other. It ends by looking briefly at unresolved issues in the origins of the later foundry cupola.
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References
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Sésco A G (trans) 1955, Réaumur’s Memoirs on iron and steel (Chicago).
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Trinder B 2000, The Industrial Revolution in Shropshire, 3rd edn (Chichester).
Tylecote R F 1991, ‘Iron in the Industrial Revolution’, in J Day and R F Tylecote (eds), The Industrial Revolution in metals (London), 200–60.
Wood O 1988, West Cumberland coal 1600–1982 (Kendal: Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society extra series 24).
Ashton T S 1963, Iron and steel in the industrial revolution, 3rd edn (Manchester).
Awty B G 1957, ‘Charcoal ironmasters of Cheshire and Lancashire 1600-1785’, Transactions Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire 109, 71–121.
Belford P 2012, ‘Hot blast smelting in the early 19th century: a re-appraisal’, Historical Metallurgy 46, 32–44.
Browne P J 1960, ‘Cast cannon: the 15th to 19th century’, Foundry Trade Journal 108, 163–5.
Chaloner W H (trans) 1948-9, ‘Smelting iron ore with coke and casting naval cannon in the year 1775: Marchant de la Houlière’s report on English methods’, Edgar Allen News 27, 194–5 & 213–4.
Chrimes M 2002, ‘William Wilkinson’, in A Skempton et al (eds), A biographical dictionary of civil engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: I. 1500–1830 (London).
Cleere H and Crossley D W 1995, The iron industry of the Weald, 2nd edn (Cardiff).
Cox N 1990, ‘Imagination and innovation of an industrial pioneer: The first Abraham Darby’, Industrial Archaeology Review 12, 127–144.
Cranstone D 1991, ‘Isaac Wilkinson at Backbarrow’, Historical Metallurgy 25, 87–91.
Dickinson H W 1914, John Wilkinson: ironmaster (Ulverston).
Evans F 1958, ‘Casting iron cannon’, Foundry Trade Journal 104, 153–6.
Evans C 1992, ‘Manufacturing iron in the northeast during the eighteenth century: the case of Bedlington’, Northern History 28, 178–196.
Farey J 1811, General view of the agriculture and minerals of Derbyshire (London).
Flinn M W 1961-2, ‘William Wood and the coke smelting process’, Transactions Newcomen Society 34, 55–71.
Grenter S 1992, ‘Bersham Ironworks excavations: 1987–1990: Interim report’, Industrial Archaeology Review 14, 177–192.
Hayman R 2008, ‘Charcoal ironmaking in 19th-century Shropshire’, Economic History Review 61, 80–98.
Hey D G 1971, ‘Nailmaking background of the Walkers and the Booths’, Transactions Hunter Archaeological Society 10(1), 31–36
Hodgkinson J S 1993, ‘The iron industry in the Weald in the period of the seven years’ war 1750–1770’, Unpublished MA dissertation, University of Brighton.
Hogg O F G 1963, The Royal Arsenal: its background origin and subsequent history (Oxford).
Jars G 1774, Voyage metallurgiques (Lyon).
Jenkins R 1933a, ‘The Reverberatory Furnace with Coal Fuel, 1612–1712’, Transactions Newcomen Society 14, 67–81.
Jenkins R 1933b, ‘Historical Notes on some Derbyshire Industries’, Transactions Newcomen Society 14, 153–77.
John A H (ed) 1951, The Walker family: iron founders and lead manufacturers 1741–1893: minutes relating to Messrs Samuel Walker & Co, Rotherham, iron founders and steel refiners 1741–1829 (London).
Jones E 1987, The history of GKN: I innovation and enterprise 1759–1918 (London).
King P W 1993, ‘The Vale Royal Company and its rivals’, Transactions Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire 142, 1–18.
King P W 1995, ‘Iron ballast for the Georgian Navy and its producers’, The Mariner’s Mirror 81, 15–20.
King P W 2002, ‘Sir Clement Clerke and the adoption of coal in metallurgy’, Transactions Newcomen Society 73, 33–52.
King P W 2011a, ‘The choice of fuel in the 18th century iron industry: The Coalbrookdale accounts reconsidered’, Economic History Review 64(1), 132–156.
King P W 2011b, ‘The history of the Tern Company’, Transactions Shropshire Archaeological Society 83 (for 2008), 68–82.
King P W 2014, ‘Frizington Fraud: William Wood’s patent iron process’, Transactions Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society, 4th ser, 14, 161–86.
Lewis M J T 1970, Early wooden railways (London).
Lloyd H 1975, The Quaker Lloyds in the Industrial Revolution (London).
Morton, G R and Smith, W A 1966, The Bradley Ironworks of John Wilkinson’, Journal Iron and Steel Institute 204, 661–78.
Mott R A 1957-60, ‘Coalbrookdale in the early years’, Transactions Shropshire Archaeological Society 56, 82–93.
Raistrick A 1953, Dynasty of ironfounders: The Darbys of Coalbrookdale (London).
Riden P 1993, A gazetteer of charcoal-fired blast furnaces in Great Britain in use since 1660, 2nd edn (Cardiff).
Riley N F and Niehoff T 2013, ‘Iron Production’ in Baukal Jr, C E (ed), Oxygen-enhanced combustion, 2nd edn (London).
Robinson P M 1957, The Smiths of Chesterfield: a history of the Griffin Foundry, Brampton, 1775–1833 (Chesterfield).
Sésco A G (trans) 1955, Réaumur’s Memoirs on iron and steel (Chicago).
Smith W E 1966, ‘Hallfields Furnace, Bradley Ironworks’, Bulletin Historical Metallurgy Group 7, 36–9.
Torrens H S 1989, ‘Engineering enterprise in Bristol and Bath’, Industrial Archaeology Review 11, 196–201.
Trinder B 1973, The Industrial Revolution in Shropshire, 1st edn (Chichester).
Trinder B 2000, The Industrial Revolution in Shropshire, 3rd edn (Chichester).
Tylecote R F 1991, ‘Iron in the Industrial Revolution’, in J Day and R F Tylecote (eds), The Industrial Revolution in metals (London), 200–60.
Wood O 1988, West Cumberland coal 1600–1982 (Kendal: Cumberland and Westmoreland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society extra series 24).
How to Cite
King, P. (2021). 18th-century ironfounding: coke iron, air furnaces and cupolas. Historical Metallurgy, 47(2), 138-145. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/99
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How to Cite
King, P. (2021). 18th-century ironfounding: coke iron, air furnaces and cupolas. Historical Metallurgy, 47(2), 138-145. https://hmsjournal.org/index.php/home/article/view/99