Graffin Prankard
Graffin Prankard ( -1756), iron merchant, of Bristol, Quaker.
Graffin Prankard was a wealthy Bristol Merchant who specialised in trade with North America.
1710 Went into partnership with Abraham Darby, providing finance for his newly built blast furnace at Coalbrookdale.
Ca.1720 Commenced importing iron from Sweden, partly to supply slave ships with ‘Voyage Iron’ and also to supply steel works in the Midlands and one in Keynsham called the Shallard Steel Works.
By 1730 he was responsible for over 50% of Swedish iron entering Bristol port and by 1734 had managed to take control of a large percentage of the output of the best Swedish forges.
1739 Merchant.[1]
In 1740, he lost two of his ships, resulting in creditors rushing for payment. He was only saved from bankruptcy by his wealthy son in law, Caleb Dickinson.
1754 Capt. Merchant.[2]
1756 Died.[3]