John Wilkinson

@Pioneer in Cast Iron Manufacturing, Facts and Childhood ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ John Wilkinson was a British entrepreneur who pioneered the manufacture of cast iron’ Connecticut Philanthropists British Imperial College London Business People Inventors & Discoverers John Wilkinson was a British entrepreneur who pioneered the manufacture of cast iron and found its novel applications during the ‘Industrial Revolution’. Born in England to a part-time ironworker and inventor, John was an intelligent child with a creative mind who was exposed to iron-furnace work at a young age. After completing his early education, he became a partner with his father in iron business and moved to Staffordshire where he built Bilston’s first iron furnace. Subsequently, he erected several more blast furnaces and established iron works before inheriting his father's ironworks in Bersham and founding the New Bersham Company. Soon, Bersham led the world in the field of iron technology and John became known as ‘The great Staffordshire ironmaster’. Later, he constructed a boring machine essential to the success of James Watt’s steam engine that could bore engine cylinders and cannon barrels with unique precision. He was also influential in the design of cannon and invented a cannon-boring machine which produced safer and more accurate cannons. He was the major force behind the construction of an iron bridge, the world's first arch bridge made entirely of cast iron, and also launched the first iron barge. He was an 18th century industrialist who made his fortune by selling good quality goods made of iron and was renowned as ironmaster John "Iron-Mad" Wilkinson

Personal Details

Birthday: 1728 Died on: July 14, 18081728 Nationality: British Famous: Pioneer in Cast Iron Manufacturing, Philanthropists, Imperial College London, Business People, Inventors & Discoverers City/State: Connecticut Universities: Imperial College London Notable Alumnis: Imperial College London Information Detail Birthday 1728 Died on July 14, 18081728 Nationality British Famous Pioneer in Cast Iron Manufacturing, Philanthropists, Imperial College London, Business People, Inventors & Discoverers City/State Connecticut Universities Imperial College London Notable Alumnis Imperial College London Birth Place Bridgefoot Gender Male Born in Bridgefoot Famous as Pioneer in cast iron manufacturing Died at Age 80

Bridgefoot

John Wilkinson born at Unsplash Birth Place

John Wilkinson married Ann Maudsley, daughter of a wealthy family , whose dowry helped John to secure a share in the New Willey Company. They had no children. Unsplash Personal Life

After Ann’s death, he tied the knot with Mary Lee whose money helped John get a hold over his company by buying out his partners. The couple had no children. Unsplash Personal Life

When John was in his 70s, his mistress Mary Ann Lewis gave birth to his three children; a boy and two girls. Unsplash Personal Life

John Wilkinson was born in 1728 in Little Clifton, Bridgefoot, Cumberland, England to Isaac Wilkinson, an ironworker and inventor, and his wife, Mary Johnson. He had a sister named Mary and a 17-years younger half-brother, William. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

John grew up in a non-conformist Presbyterian family and received his early education from an academy at Kendal which was run by Dr Caleb Rotherham, an English dissenting minister and tutor. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In 1745, John apprenticeship under a Liverpool merchant for five years. Subsequently, he became a partner with his father in iron business. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In 1755, John Wilkinson entered into a partnership with the Bersham Ironworks and two years later, he erected a blast furnace at Willey, Shropshire, with his partners. Subsequently, he was able to build another furnace at New Willey. Unsplash Career

In 1757, he patented a hydraulic powered blowing engine for blast furnaces. Unsplash Career

He also established iron works at several other locations including Snedshill, Hollinswood, Hadley and Hampton Loade. He also leased land to build another at Bradley works in Bilston parish. Unsplash Career

With Bilston as the start of the Black Country, an area which became one of the most industrialized parts of Britain during the Industrial Revolution, John became known as the Father of the extensive South Staffordshire iron industry. Unsplash Career

In 1761, he took over Bersham Ironworks. By 1763, he became operator of his own furnace and soon emerged as a leading supplier of castings and armaments. Unsplash Career

He made pathbreaking progress in the manufacturing of cast iron and the use of cast iron goods, which helped immensely in the Industrial Revolution. He invented a precision boring machine that could bore cast iron cylinders and patented a blowing device for blast furnaces that allowed higher temperatures thereby increasing their efficiency.. Unsplash Major Works

Information	Detail
Birthday	1728
Died on	July 14, 18081728
Nationality	British
Famous	Pioneer in Cast Iron Manufacturing, Philanthropists, Imperial College London, Business People, Inventors & Discoverers
City/State	Connecticut
Universities	Imperial College London
Notable Alumnis	Imperial College London
Birth Place	Bridgefoot
Gender	Male
Born in	Bridgefoot
Famous as	Pioneer in cast iron manufacturing
Died at Age	80

John Wilkinson

British

1728

Biography

Personal Details

Bridgefoot