William Henry Shaw
William Henry Shaw (1830-1896) of the Phoenix Foundry Co (of Ballarat), engineer and ironfounder.
1830 July 27th. Born in Belfast, the son of James Smith Shaw (1804-1872), builder and contractor, and his wife Mary Hunter.
After working for his father, he was apprenticed to Gray Brothers, Townshend Street foundry where he learnt all branches of ironworking
1852 Left Belfast to work for the Cork Steamship Co.
1853 Lured by gold, Shaw arrived in Melbourne in October 1853 but had little luck at Ballarat, Daylesford and Blackwood.
1856 He opened and managed a small foundry for Frederick Moore in Geelong before returning to Ballarat to join the moulder Robert Holden and two Lancashire-trained engine-smiths, Robert Carter and George Threlfell, in launching the Phoenix Foundry.
1859 Married Annie Eliza Cleeland and they had seven sons and four daughters
1896 August 23rd. Died in Ballarat.