Anthony Bessemer
1758[1] Anthony Bessemer was born at 6 Old Broad Street, London.
c.1769 At the age of eleven he was taken to Holland by his parents who settled there
Anthony was articled to a mechanical engineer and during the apprenticeship he was assisted in erecting the first steam engine in that country.
c. 1779 He moved to Paris when he was 21 years old. He was an inventor who, while he was engaged by the Paris Mint, made his fortune with a machine for making medallions that could produce steel dies from a larger model.
1784 He became a member of the French Academy of Science, for his improvements to the optical microscope, when he was only 26. He was forced to leave Paris by the French Revolution, and returned to Britain.
In London he invented a process and dies for making gold chains, which was quite successful, and enabled him to buy a small estate in the village of Charlton, near Hitchin, in Hertfordshire.
1804/5 At Thavies Inn, London; a goldsmith and jeweller; took on 2 apprentices[2]
His children included:
- 1803 Sophia Bessemer
- 1805 Anthony Bessemer (1805-1888)
- 1808 George Frederic Bessemer
- Frances Ann Bessemer
- 1813 Henry Bessemer (named after Henry Caslon)
He worked closely with Henry Caslon (presumably Henry Caslon (1786-1850) producing typography
His son Henry was born on the 19th January 1813 at his small landed estate at Charlton near Hitchin, Herts.
By 1823 he was in a partnership, Bessemer and Catherwood, at Charlton making type-face.
1826 One of the partners in Bessemer and Catherwood left.
1830 Anthony moved his business, a type-foundry, to London
1832 Sale Notice: 'SALE BY AUCTION. LETTER FOUNDRY FOR SALE, with several perfect Founts of New Type.— By DELAHOY and LEWIS. (Printers' Appraisers and Auctioneers,) on THURSDAY, Dee. 13, at 11 for 12 precisely, at Hopwood's Sale Rooms, 28, Chancery Lane, (removed for convenience of Sale,) by order of the Proprietor, declining business;
The valuab!e CONTENTS of Mr. A. BESSEMER'S LETTER FOUNDRY, comprising near 5,0001bs. weight of New Type, (in perfect founts,) including Nonpareil to English, 2-line Letters, Antiques, Blacks, Flowers, Fancy Rules, &c. &c., upwards of TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED VALUABLE PUNCHES, from Diamond to Double Pica, together with Antiques, Blacks. 2 line Letters, Flowers, &c. &c., all in the best condition, and from which not a single strike has ever been taken but for his own use; and they have been collected at an expense of Four Thousand Pounds; also, near 3,500 MATRICES and upwards of 100 MOULDS; together with the various Implements in the Foundry, To be viewed on the Wednesday preceding the sale; catalogues may then be had at the place of Sale; at the Red Lion, near Catherine Street, Strand; Mr. Toovey's, printers' joiner, Chichester-rents, Chancery-lane. of Mr. Bessemer, 54, Red Lion-street, Clerkenwell; of C. Hyde, Esq., solicitor,, Ely-place ; and of the Auctioneers, 21, Finch-lane' Cornhill, and Deptford-bridge. Kent. A liberal Credit to Purchasers upon Approved Bills.'[3]
1836 Died
See Also
Sources of Information
- Sir Henry Bessemer, an Autobiography. Published 1905