Charles Gascoigne
Encyclopedia
Charles Gascoigne was a British
industrialist at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
. He was a partner and manager of the Carron Company
ironworks
in its early years, but left in 1786, before the company's success became obvious, to reorganise the production of iron and cannon
in Russia
. He remained in Russia for 20 years, until his death.
. His father was Captain Woodroffe Gascoigne, who was deployed in Scotland
after the Battle of Culloden
in 1746. His mother was Grizel, eldest daughter of Charles Elphinstone, 9th Lord Elphinstone and his wife Elizabeth Primrose.
Gascoigne worked for the British East India Company
and as a partner in "Coney and Gascoigne", a firm of drysalter
s in London
. He married Mary, the daughter of Samuel Garbett, at St Martin's, Birmingham
, in 1759. Garbett was a founding partner in the Carron Company
, also founded in 1759, and Gascoigne become a partner in the ironworks in 1765, having been manager of Garbett's nearby turpentine
factory, Garbett & Co., since 1763.
Gascoigne had three daughters by his first wife: Anne, who married Thomas Hamilton, 7th Earl of Haddington, in 1786; Elizabeth, who married an MP, George Augustus Pollen; and another, who married Poltoratsky.
He married his second wife, Anastasia-Jessye, daughter of Dr. Matthew Guthrie, in 1797.
had granted it a lucrative contract to supply armaments to the British armed forces in 1764. He became managing partner of the ironworks in 1769, taking over from William Cadell, Jr, the son of William Cadell
, another founder of the works.
Gascoigne introduced many improvements in the company's techniques of production, and devoted considerable effort to increasing the quality of its work. Despite (or perhaps because of) Gascoigne's influence, the Carron Company and Garbett's other enterprises remained in a difficult financial position. Garbett & Co. collapsed under the weight of debts in 1772, harming Gascoigne's relationship with his father-in law. The Board of Ordnance eventually withdrew their contract with Carron Company for long gun
s in 1773, as a result of concerns over the poor quality of their workmanship
The company received a royal charter
to incorporate
as the Carron Company in 1773. However, despite Gascoigne's efforts, the quality of company's products had remained low. After the company's contracts to supply the Royal Navy
were cancelled in 1773, the company's cannon were removed from all naval vessels.
, originally known as the "Gasconade" or "Melvillade", but better known by its later name, the "Carronade
". The carronade was designed as a short-range naval weapon with a low muzzle velocity
, and is said to have been invented by Lieutenant General Robert Melville
in 1759. It was developed by Gascoigne from 1769 to 1779. It was adopted by the Royal Navy in 1779.
Easily identified by its considerably shortened barrel, the carronade had the same calibre as a long gun
, but contained much less metal and so was much lighter, enabling naval vessels to carry many more carronades than long guns. The resulting short range was not a problem as a result of the close-to broadside
tactics employed at the time. The new weapon was a considerable success (earning the nickname "The Smasher" by Royal Navy crews) and remained in production from 1778 through to the 1850s. In addition to the Royal Navy, the company also supplied armaments to governments outside the UK, including weapons supplied to the embryonic United States
which were used against Britain in the War of 1812
.
In the 1770s and 1780s, the British government were involved in a programme to render military assistance to the Russian Empire
. A steam engine
, designed by John Smeaton
and manufactured by the Carron Company, was ordered by Charles Knowles (then working for the Russians) and was sent to Russia in 1774, together with a supply of coal and Carron workmen.
In 1784, Knowle's successor, Admiral Samuel Greig
, ordered guns for the Russian Navy from the Carron Company. In an effort to improve Catherine the Great's weapons foundry at Petrozavodsk
, the Russians also ordered a large quantity of plant and equipment. The British government tried to prevent the company from supplying this cutting-edge military technology; nonetheless, Gascoigne delivered the Russians' orders. Then, in May 1786, he travelled to Kronstadt
to supervise the installation works at the Aleksandrovsky foundry, accompanied by workers from the Carron Company. He was also accompanied by Charles Baird
, Adam Armstrong, and Alexander Wilson
. Gascoigne was in financial trouble at the time, having been declared bankrupt.
Gascoigne was to remain in Russia for 20 years, where be became known as Karl Karlovich Gaskoin (Карл Гаскойн). He became a State Councillor
and a Knight of Saint Vladimir, received the Order of St Anne
, 1st and 2nd classes, received the rank of Councillor of State, and was head of all mines and foundries in Karelia
, including the mines at Olonets
. He improved many existing Russian iron foundries and built new ones, and also advancing the Russian's cannon-manufacturing techniques. He established the first machine presses at the Saint Petersburg Mint
, although the project was ultimately completed by Matthew Boulton
.
He died in July 1806 in Kolpino
near St. Petersburg, and was buried in Petrozavodsk.
His reputation has undergone many revisions. In Britain, he was seen as a traitor. In Russia, particularly in the Soviet period, he was suspected as a self-seeking capitalist and an industrial spy
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
industrialist at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. He was a partner and manager of the Carron Company
Carron Company
The Carron Company was an ironworks established in 1759 on the banks of the River Carron near Falkirk, in Stirlingshire, Scotland. After initial problems, the company was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom. The company prospered through its development and...
ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
in its early years, but left in 1786, before the company's success became obvious, to reorganise the production of iron and cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He remained in Russia for 20 years, until his death.
Early and private life
Charles Gascoigne was born in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. His father was Captain Woodroffe Gascoigne, who was deployed in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
after the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
in 1746. His mother was Grizel, eldest daughter of Charles Elphinstone, 9th Lord Elphinstone and his wife Elizabeth Primrose.
Gascoigne worked for the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and as a partner in "Coney and Gascoigne", a firm of drysalter
Drysalter
Drysalters were dealers in a range of chemical products, including glue, varnish, dye and colourings. They might supply salt or chemicals for preserving food and sometimes also sold pickles, dried meat or related items...
s in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He married Mary, the daughter of Samuel Garbett, at St Martin's, Birmingham
St Martin in the Bull Ring
The church of St Martin in the Bull Ring in Birmingham 5, England is a parish church in the Church of England.-Background:It is the original parish church of Birmingham. It stands between the Bull Ring shopping centre and the markets. The church is a Grade II* listed building. The current Rector...
, in 1759. Garbett was a founding partner in the Carron Company
Carron Company
The Carron Company was an ironworks established in 1759 on the banks of the River Carron near Falkirk, in Stirlingshire, Scotland. After initial problems, the company was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in the United Kingdom. The company prospered through its development and...
, also founded in 1759, and Gascoigne become a partner in the ironworks in 1765, having been manager of Garbett's nearby turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
factory, Garbett & Co., since 1763.
Gascoigne had three daughters by his first wife: Anne, who married Thomas Hamilton, 7th Earl of Haddington, in 1786; Elizabeth, who married an MP, George Augustus Pollen; and another, who married Poltoratsky.
He married his second wife, Anastasia-Jessye, daughter of Dr. Matthew Guthrie, in 1797.
Carron Company
When Gascoigne joined the Carron Company only six years after it was founded, and it was still suffering from problems with the quality of its iron. Nevertheless, the Board of OrdnanceBoard of Ordnance
The Board of Ordnance was a British government body responsible for the supply of armaments and munitions to the Royal Navy and British Army. It was also responsible for providing artillery trains for armies and maintaining coastal fortresses and, later, management of the artillery and engineer...
had granted it a lucrative contract to supply armaments to the British armed forces in 1764. He became managing partner of the ironworks in 1769, taking over from William Cadell, Jr, the son of William Cadell
William Cadell
William Archibald Cadell of Cockenzie was a Scottish industrialist, one of the pioneers of the industrial revolution on the Firth of Forth...
, another founder of the works.
Gascoigne introduced many improvements in the company's techniques of production, and devoted considerable effort to increasing the quality of its work. Despite (or perhaps because of) Gascoigne's influence, the Carron Company and Garbett's other enterprises remained in a difficult financial position. Garbett & Co. collapsed under the weight of debts in 1772, harming Gascoigne's relationship with his father-in law. The Board of Ordnance eventually withdrew their contract with Carron Company for long gun
Long gun
The term long gun is used to describe classes of firearm and cannon with longer barrels than other classes. In small arms, a long gun is designed to be fired braced against the shoulder, in contrast to a handgun, while in artillery a long gun would be contrasted with a howitzer or carronade.-Small...
s in 1773, as a result of concerns over the poor quality of their workmanship
The company received a royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
to incorporate
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
as the Carron Company in 1773. However, despite Gascoigne's efforts, the quality of company's products had remained low. After the company's contracts to supply the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
were cancelled in 1773, the company's cannon were removed from all naval vessels.
Carronades
Undeterred, Gascoigne also pushed forward the development of a new type of cannonCannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
, originally known as the "Gasconade" or "Melvillade", but better known by its later name, the "Carronade
Carronade
The carronade was a short smoothbore, cast iron cannon, developed for the Royal Navy by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, UK. It was used from the 1770s to the 1850s. Its main function was to serve as a powerful, short-range anti-ship and anti-crew weapon...
". The carronade was designed as a short-range naval weapon with a low muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
, and is said to have been invented by Lieutenant General Robert Melville
Robert Melville
Robert Melvill was a Scottish soldier, botanist and inventor. He served as a general in the British Army and was a prominent antiquary....
in 1759. It was developed by Gascoigne from 1769 to 1779. It was adopted by the Royal Navy in 1779.
Easily identified by its considerably shortened barrel, the carronade had the same calibre as a long gun
Long gun
The term long gun is used to describe classes of firearm and cannon with longer barrels than other classes. In small arms, a long gun is designed to be fired braced against the shoulder, in contrast to a handgun, while in artillery a long gun would be contrasted with a howitzer or carronade.-Small...
, but contained much less metal and so was much lighter, enabling naval vessels to carry many more carronades than long guns. The resulting short range was not a problem as a result of the close-to broadside
Broadside
A broadside is the side of a ship; the battery of cannon on one side of a warship; or their simultaneous fire in naval warfare.-Age of Sail:...
tactics employed at the time. The new weapon was a considerable success (earning the nickname "The Smasher" by Royal Navy crews) and remained in production from 1778 through to the 1850s. In addition to the Royal Navy, the company also supplied armaments to governments outside the UK, including weapons supplied to the embryonic United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which were used against Britain in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
.
Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. A steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
, designed by John Smeaton
John Smeaton
John Smeaton, FRS, was an English civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses. He was also a capable mechanical engineer and an eminent physicist...
and manufactured by the Carron Company, was ordered by Charles Knowles (then working for the Russians) and was sent to Russia in 1774, together with a supply of coal and Carron workmen.
In 1784, Knowle's successor, Admiral Samuel Greig
Samuel Greig
Samuel Greig, or Samuil Karlovich Greig , as he was known in Russia - Scottish-born Russian admiral who distinguished himself in the Battle of Chesma and the Battle of Hogland...
, ordered guns for the Russian Navy from the Carron Company. In an effort to improve Catherine the Great's weapons foundry at Petrozavodsk
Petrozavodsk
Petrozavodsk is the capital city of the Republic of Karelia, Russia. It stretches along the western shore of the Lake Onega for some . The city is served by Petrozavodsk Airport. Municipally, it is incorporated as Petrozavodsky Urban Okrug . Population:...
, the Russians also ordered a large quantity of plant and equipment. The British government tried to prevent the company from supplying this cutting-edge military technology; nonetheless, Gascoigne delivered the Russians' orders. Then, in May 1786, he travelled to Kronstadt
Kronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
to supervise the installation works at the Aleksandrovsky foundry, accompanied by workers from the Carron Company. He was also accompanied by Charles Baird
Charles Baird (engineer)
Charles Baird was a Scottish engineer who played an important part in the industrial and business life of 19th century St. Petersburg...
, Adam Armstrong, and Alexander Wilson
Alexander Wilson
Alexander Wilson was a Scottish-American poet, ornithologist, naturalist, and illustrator.Wilson was born in Paisley, Scotland, the son of an illiterate distiller. In 1779 he was apprenticed as a weaver. His main interest at this time was in writing poetry...
. Gascoigne was in financial trouble at the time, having been declared bankrupt.
Gascoigne was to remain in Russia for 20 years, where be became known as Karl Karlovich Gaskoin (Карл Гаскойн). He became a State Councillor
State Council of Imperial Russia
The State Council was the supreme state advisory body to the Tsar in Imperial Russia.-18th century:Early Tsars' Councils were small and dealt primarily with the external politics....
and a Knight of Saint Vladimir, received the Order of St Anne
Order of St. Anna
The Order of St. Anna ) is a Holstein and then Russian Imperial order of chivalry established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp on 14 February 1735, in honour of his wife Anna Petrovna, daughter of Peter the Great of Russia...
, 1st and 2nd classes, received the rank of Councillor of State, and was head of all mines and foundries in Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
, including the mines at Olonets
Olonets
Olonets is a town and the administrative center of Olonetsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, situated on the Olonka River, to the east from Lake Ladoga. Population: -History:...
. He improved many existing Russian iron foundries and built new ones, and also advancing the Russian's cannon-manufacturing techniques. He established the first machine presses at the Saint Petersburg Mint
Saint Petersburg Mint
Saint Petersburg Mint is one of the world's largest mints. It was founded by Peter the Great in 1724 on the territory of Peter and Paul Fortress, so it is one of the oldest industrial enterprises in Saint Petersburg....
, although the project was ultimately completed by Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton, FRS was an English manufacturer and business partner of Scottish engineer James Watt. In the final quarter of the 18th century the partnership installed hundreds of Boulton & Watt steam engines, which were a great advance on the state of the art, making possible the...
.
He died in July 1806 in Kolpino
Kolpino
Kolpino is a municipal city in Kolpinsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on the Izhora River southeast of St. Petersburg proper. Population: 81,000 ; 8,076 ....
near St. Petersburg, and was buried in Petrozavodsk.
His reputation has undergone many revisions. In Britain, he was seen as a traitor. In Russia, particularly in the Soviet period, he was suspected as a self-seeking capitalist and an industrial spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
.