Henry Crawshay (1812-1879) of Henry Crawshay and Co
Son of William Crawshay (1788-1867)
Provided with iron and coal estates at Cinderford in the Forest of Dean by his father.
1879 Died at the age of seventy six
1879 Obituary [1]
Mr. HENRY CRAWSHAY, the largest ironmaster in the Forest of Dean, died on Monday, the 24th November.
One of the sons of the well-known "Iron King" of South Wales, the deceased took up his residence in the Forest of Dean as far back as 1835, in which year his father was introduced into that district by Mr. Moses Teague, and soon afterwards his connection with Cinderford Ironworks began. At that time, Captain Frazer, father of the present Bishop of Manchester, was associated with a Mr. Protheroe, and the Messrs. Allaway were carrying on ironworks either at or near to the site of the furnaces long since famous as Messrs. Crawshay & Sons' Pig Iron Works.
Deceased acquired valuable mineral and coal properties, the former at Buckshaft, the latter at Lightmoor; and it is stated that from but one mine alone the average output was 81,000 tons of high-class haematite ore, while between 1860 and 1870 the mine yielded 398,725 tons.
As time passed on Mr. Crawshay became sole proprietor of the Forest property, and he added to this by extensive purchases both in West and East Dean, the townships in which are located his first-mentioned property.
A few years ago he also acquired the furnaces and mines of the Parkend Iron Company, the plate mills of which and the furnaces were among the best commercial transactions with which he was associated, their sale in the one case, and lease in the other, having only recently taken place. In fact, the sale of the furnaces was only announced on the day of the lamented gentleman's death. He, however, retained the mines, from which supplies of ore will probably be required during the progress of an extension of sinking and development of Strekmouth, the well-known pumping station for "Buckshaft," which is estimated to involve a further outlay of £40,000.
A leading journal states that as an employer of labour no man had done more in the Forest to promote the comfort and happiness of his employees, and during the unhappy struggles which have arisen of late years in the Forest, and particularly during the memorable strike of 1874-5, when for some three months the colliers of the other chief masters were on strike, Mr. Crawshay declined to associate himself with the movement, as his remarkable letter in 1874 amply testified. It was then that the Squire, writing to the newspapers, urged that the reduction should not be enforced, as the coal trade was brighter, and he asked that the other employers should allow their workmen to have "bright hearths and joyous hearts" at the ensuing Christmastide.
1879 Obituary [2]
1879 Obituary [3]