George Sitwell (Sheriff)
Encyclopedia
George Sitwell was the leading ironmaster
in North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire in the seventeenth century.. He built Renishaw Hall
in Derbyshire in 1626. He mined, forged, and rolled iron for use in Britain and overseas. His company exported a complete rolling mill to the West Indies.
in Derbyshire
. George's father died whilst he was still a child and he attended Derby School
. However when an adult he was able to acquire the freehold of land in the area of Eckington and exploited this by mining iron ore. Whilst Sitwell was still in his twenties he was living in the new ancestral home of Renishaw Hall
.
After mining the ore, Sitwell vertically integrated his business by constructing a blast furnace
at Plumbley in partnership with his stepfather. (His mother had remarried locally to Henry Wigfall). By 1652, Sitwell had built his own furnace at Foxbrooke near Renishaw
. Over the next twenty years Sitwell built a furnace at North Wingfield
, forges at Pleasley
, Clipstone
and Cuckney
; and at Pleasley
he built another furnace, a forge and power saws. However the novelty of his business empire was the East Midlands' first rolling and slitting mill
near Renishaw.
Sitwell rose in the community when his family were granted its own arms in 1660. He was made a Justice of the Peace and in 1653 he became the High Sheriff of Derbyshire
. He remained in charge of the business that made Derbyshire a source of exports and himself the leading ironmaster in north Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Sitwell would regularly visit London to supervise sales of products from nails to castings, bar and pig iron
. Sitwell employed two of his sons and a cousin as his representatives in London and abroad. He started his own transport business as well as sub-contracting his transport needs by road and via the canal at Bawtry
. The transport business had to cope with exports to Spain and Syria, and an entire rolling mill which was sent to the West Indies.
. Three of his sons took roles in the business, but by the 1690s the family had retired to be merely landowners and were collecting rents from others who ran the enterprises. The Sitwells were to go on to be baronets
and to be members of the intelligentsia in the twentieth century i.e. Osbert, Edith
and Sacheverell Sitwell.. Unlike many ancient families the family still own Renishaw Hall, although it is no longer owned by the Sitwell baronet.
Ironmaster
An ironmaster is the manager – and usually owner – of a forge or blast furnace for the processing of iron. It is a term mainly associated with the period of the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain....
in North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire in the seventeenth century.. He built Renishaw Hall
Renishaw Hall
Renishaw Hall is a stately home in Derbyshire, England which dates from the 17th century. It is a Grade I listed building. It has been the home of the Sitwell family for over 350 years....
in Derbyshire in 1626. He mined, forged, and rolled iron for use in Britain and overseas. His company exported a complete rolling mill to the West Indies.
Life
George Sitwell was baptised in 1601 by his parents, George and Mary Sitwell of EckingtonEckington, Derbyshire
Eckington is a town in North East Derbyshire, 7 miles north of Chesterfield and 8.5 miles south of Sheffield on the border with South Yorkshire.Eckington has a population of 11,152....
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. George's father died whilst he was still a child and he attended Derby School
Derby School
Derby School was a school in Derby in the English Midlands from 1160 to 1989. It had an almost continuous history of education of over eight centuries. For most of that time it was a grammar school for boys. The school became co-educational and comprehensive in 1974 and was closed in 1989...
. However when an adult he was able to acquire the freehold of land in the area of Eckington and exploited this by mining iron ore. Whilst Sitwell was still in his twenties he was living in the new ancestral home of Renishaw Hall
Renishaw Hall
Renishaw Hall is a stately home in Derbyshire, England which dates from the 17th century. It is a Grade I listed building. It has been the home of the Sitwell family for over 350 years....
.
After mining the ore, Sitwell vertically integrated his business by constructing a blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
at Plumbley in partnership with his stepfather. (His mother had remarried locally to Henry Wigfall). By 1652, Sitwell had built his own furnace at Foxbrooke near Renishaw
Renishaw, Derbyshire
Renishaw is a village in the district of North East Derbyshire in England.Renishaw lies on the A6135 between the villages of Eckington and Barlborough. To the west of the village is a section of the Trans Pennine Trail long distance footpath which runs along a former railway line. Adjacent to this...
. Over the next twenty years Sitwell built a furnace at North Wingfield
North Wingfield
North Wingfield is a large village in the English county of Derbyshire, located approximately 4½ miles south-east of Chesterfield, and 1 mile north-east of Clay Cross. It is in the North East Derbyshire district...
, forges at Pleasley
Pleasley
Pleasley is a small village in between the nearby towns of Chesterfield and Mansfield, it is 8 km south east of Bolsover, Derbyshire, England and 4 km north west of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire...
, Clipstone
Clipstone
Clipstone in north Nottinghamshire is a small working class ex-coal mining village built on an old army base.-History:George Sitwell, Ironmaster mined iron locally and built a furnace here in the seventeenth century.- General description :...
and Cuckney
Cuckney
Cuckney is a small village in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, between Worksop and Market Warsop.The A60 road connects Market Warsop and Cuckney via Cuckney Hill.-History:...
; and at Pleasley
Pleasley
Pleasley is a small village in between the nearby towns of Chesterfield and Mansfield, it is 8 km south east of Bolsover, Derbyshire, England and 4 km north west of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire...
he built another furnace, a forge and power saws. However the novelty of his business empire was the East Midlands' first rolling and slitting mill
Slitting mill
The slitting mill was a watermill for slitting bars of iron into rods. The rods then were passed to nailers who made the rods into nails, by giving them a point and head....
near Renishaw.
Sitwell rose in the community when his family were granted its own arms in 1660. He was made a Justice of the Peace and in 1653 he became the High Sheriff of Derbyshire
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
. He remained in charge of the business that made Derbyshire a source of exports and himself the leading ironmaster in north Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Sitwell would regularly visit London to supervise sales of products from nails to castings, bar and pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
. Sitwell employed two of his sons and a cousin as his representatives in London and abroad. He started his own transport business as well as sub-contracting his transport needs by road and via the canal at Bawtry
Bawtry
Bawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
. The transport business had to cope with exports to Spain and Syria, and an entire rolling mill which was sent to the West Indies.
Legacy
Sitwell established his family as gentry in Derbyshire as well as establishing their family seat at Renishaw HallRenishaw Hall
Renishaw Hall is a stately home in Derbyshire, England which dates from the 17th century. It is a Grade I listed building. It has been the home of the Sitwell family for over 350 years....
. Three of his sons took roles in the business, but by the 1690s the family had retired to be merely landowners and were collecting rents from others who ran the enterprises. The Sitwells were to go on to be baronets
Sitwell Baronets
The Sitwell Baronetcy, of Renishaw in the County of Derby, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 3 October 1808 for Sitwell Sitwell, Member of Parliament for West Looe...
and to be members of the intelligentsia in the twentieth century i.e. Osbert, Edith
Edith Sitwell
Dame Edith Louisa Sitwell DBE was a British poet and critic.-Background:Edith Sitwell was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, the oldest child and only daughter of Sir George Sitwell, 4th Baronet, of Renishaw Hall; he was an expert on genealogy and landscaping...
and Sacheverell Sitwell.. Unlike many ancient families the family still own Renishaw Hall, although it is no longer owned by the Sitwell baronet.