William Cadell, Senior
William Cadell (1708–1777) of the Carron Co, of Prestonpans and Cockenzie, shipmaster, merchant, and industrialist
1708 Born the son of William Cadell (1668-1728).
Members of the Cadell family played a key role in the development of a coke-fired iron industry in Scotland on a large scale in the last two decades of the eighteenth century.
Initially a merchant, like his father.
1734 July 20th. Cadell married Christeen (b. 1703), daughter of John Hog, a ship master at Prestonpans. They had three sons and three daughters.
1749 Approached by two Englishmen, John Roebuck and Samuel Garbett, to set up sulphuric acid works at Prestonpans.
1755 Advertisement. At Cockenzie, seven miles east of Edinburgh a small manufactory erected some time ago for all sorts of scyths, hooks, sickles, hayknives, Briar scyths, knives for cutting straw are made. William Cadell, Merchant at Cockenzie. [1]
1759 Founded a modern ironworks, as a partner with John Roebuck and Simon Garbett and his son William Cadell, Junior; this later became the Carron Co.
His son, William Cadell, Junior (1737–1819), became general manager at the ironworks.
1767 Advertisement. William Cadell, Potter in Prestonpans makes and fells all sorts of black and tortoise-shell ware, gilded and plain. Recently made pipes for conveying water to Peebles. [2]
In October 1770 the Cadells exchanged their Carron shareholding for the Cramond Iron Works; Thomas Edington had clearly impressed them with his technical knowledge and business skills and remained as manager of Cramond.
1771 Consigned a parcel of stoneware to Oporto. William Cadell and Sons and Co of Prestonpans. [3]
1772 Thomas Edington married Christian Cadell, daughter of William senior.
1777 Died at Cockenzie.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Cadell Family Biography, by Patrick Cadell, ODNB [1]