c.1800 - Ben Gibbons operated blast furnaces on a site leased from the Earl of Dudley.
1843 - Furnaces reconstructed under R. Smith, agent for the Earl of Dudley and furnaces on site (Figure I). Coal, coke, iron, ore, limestone, were all brought in by Pensnett railway which was also owned by the Earl of Dudley.
1863 - Fourth blast furnace added (Figure II). They were connected with the later Round Oak Works on the opposite side of the canal by an inclined plane to form the largest and most technically advanced works in the area.
C.1945 - The blast furnaces continued in use until about 1954 producing hot blast pig iron for use in the steel works and cold blast iron for specialised fiundry purposes. Demolition of the blast furnace plant tok place in 1956, more than 150 years since the site was used for the production of pig iron.
Ref : MCOL 4.412 Article by Gale. 1850s Engraving WKVG Negative Folder
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| Reference: | 361 |
| Keywords: | Blast Furnaces Pig Iron Cold |
| Archive Ref: | EB 1A WKVG 4.412 BCLM Newcomen Soc Vol XXXVIII p.153/161 T. M. Hoskinson BCLM |
| Updated: | 24/8/2001 15:36:59 |