John Every
of the Phoenix Ironworks, Lewes, Sussex
Ironfounder
1832 Company founded by John Every, Senior in North Street, Lewes
1835 Fire at the premises caused a move to Railway Lane near Cliffe Bridge
1851 Employing 19 men and boys [1]
1861 Phoenix Iron Works established in North Place
1878 Listed at Lewes as 'Every, John. Iron and brass founder, smith and engineer and iron merchant. Implement maker and agent. Phoenix Iron Works.'[2]
1881 Employing 74 men and boys [3]
1887 John Every died aged 91, and was succeeded by his son John.
1891 Listed at Lewes as 'Every, John. Iron and brass founder, smith and engineer and iron bar merchant. Phoenix Iron Works.' [4]
1900 John Every II died. John Every III continued and expanded the business.
1915 Listed at Lewes as 'Every, John. Iron and brass founder and structural engineer. Bar iron merchant etc. Phoenix Iron Works.' [5]
After the death in 1943 of John III, his son Morris Every changed the company name to John Every Lewes Ltd. Difficulties arose and a bank put a rescue package together. In 1951 the bank sold the iron works to a Mr. Burchell who renamed the concern East Sussex Engineering.
1951 Difficulties had arisen and a bank put a rescue package together. The bank sold the iron works to a Mr. Burchell who renamed the concern East Sussex Engineering.
By the end of the 1950s foundry work had finished and the business concentrated on heavy engineering.
1969 Much of the site was taken over for the construction of the Phoenix Causeway.
1976, Aurora Holdings owned the factory and sold it in 1978. GKS bought the non-ferrous side and in 1986 this closed.
See Phoenix Trail leaflet and article by John Blackwell (Sussex Industrial Archaeological Society, 2004).
Location
In 1835 the Phoenix Foundry was established in North Street. In 1839 the foundry moved to the High Street, but in 1844 this foundry was destroyed by fire. As a consequence, John senior went bankrupt in 1848. The firm’s assets were advertised for sale by auction, and were bought by his son John W. Every. In 1861 the business moved to a large new foundry and iron works on the wharf near North Street.[6]. This foundry occupied a large site at the north end of North Street. At the north end of the site was the river, with a railway embankment and bridge to the east. See 1898/9 25" OS map.