Brymbo Steelworks
Brymbo Steel Works | |
---|---|
Built | 1796 |
Location | Brymbo |
Industry | Steel mill |
Products | Steel |
Defunct | 1990 |
The Brymbo Steel Works was a former large steelworks in the village of Brymbo near Wrexham, Wales. In operation between 1796 and 1990, it was significant on account of its founder, one of whose original blast furnace stacks remains on the site.
History
John Wilkinson's ironworks
The works was founded by the pioneer industrialist John 'Iron Mad' Wilkinson. Wilkinson, who had owned the nearby Bersham Ironworks jointly with his brother William, purchased Brymbo Hall and its 500-acre estate from the Assheton-Smith family in 1792 for the sum of £14,000, some of which may have been lent by Boulton and Watt.[1] The estate was rich in coal and ironstone deposits, several small coal pits having existed even before Wilkinson purchased the estate. By 1796 Wilkinson had erected the first blast furnace on the site, east of the Hall, 884 tons of iron being produced in this first year.[1] This initial furnace ("No. 1") worked continuously until 1894 when it was finally 'blown out', and continued in use afterwards as a sand hopper. From 1805 a second furnace was brought into production.[2]
After Wilkinson's death, his estate was contested between his natural children, who he had fathered with the Brymbo Hall housekeeper Ann Lewis, and his nephew Thomas Jones. The cost of the actions in the Court of Chancery were to bankrupt Jones and to absorb much of the inheritance of Wilkinson's children. The ironworks lay idle for some years, with a few attempts at restarting production, one of which was made by the ironmaster John Thompson.[3]
Development by Henry Robertson
In 1841, the works and estate were to be bought by Robert Roy (one of the Brymbo estate's trustees) and in 1842 were handed to Henry Robertson to develop.[4] Robertson engaged William Henry Darby and Charles Edward Darby, grandsons of Abraham Darby III of Coalbrookdale, to manage the works.[5] The works gradually expanded, and in 1854 he bought out Roy's share of the business, local tradition stating that the transaction was decided by a horse race which the steelworks employees, favouring Robertson, ensured he won.[4]
After the deaths of William and Charles Darby in 1882 and 1884 respectively, the business was incorporated as Brymbo Steel Co. Ltd. Robertson encouraged John Henry Darby, the son of William, and Peter Williams (father of the MP
Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds
The effects of the
Brymbo was
The works were served by the
Steel production lasted until 1990, when the steelworks was closed by its then owners, United Engineering Steels.[10] 1,100 jobs were lost.
Today
In 1992, the site was purchased by Parkhill Estates and land remediated. The site is now being developed to support large amounts of housing.[11] It is currently planned to keep the long-standing Machine Shop and No 1 blast furnace, both original buildings.
A new major road has been built recently to connect the village of Brymbo to the new Mountain View houses on the former steelworks site. The road was opened in June 2021 and now opens up plans for more development such as a school, retail areas and business options.[12][11]
Sport
Brymbo Steelworks had a football team that won a number of local leagues.
References
- ^ a b Davis, R. John Wilkinson - Ironmaster Extraordinary Archived 2 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ P. Riden and J. G. Owen, British Blast Furnace Statistics 1790-1980 (Merton Priory Press, Cardiff 1995), 49-50.
- ^ Dodd, A. H. The Industrial Revolution in North Wales, University of Wales Press, 1971, p.147
- ^ a b Brymbo Steelworks - the Scottish connection Archived 3 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Wrexham County Borough Council
- ^ E. Thomas, Coalbrookdale and the Darbys (1999), 144 194.
- ^ Carr and Taplin, History of the British steel industry, Harvard University Press, 1962, p.103
- ^ Brymbo Steelworks, Wrexham County Borough Council
- ^ Brymbo Steelworks - Making steel 1960-1990, Wrexham County Borough Council
- ^ Riden & Owen, 49-50.
- ^ Brymbo Steelworks - The last tap, Wrexham County Borough Council
- ^ a b "A Vision for Brymbo". Brymbo Park. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ^ Hughes, Owen (19 October 2021). "Developer to build 70 homes on former industrial site in North Wales". North Wales Live. Retrieved 25 December 2022.