Shadrach Fox
Encyclopedia
Shadrach Fox was the ironmaster
who preceded Abraham Darby
at Coalbrookdale
.
Shadrach was probably the son of Captain Thomas Fox, who appears in the accounts of Philip Foley
in 1669 as buying tough pig iron
,
In the 1690s, Shadrach was renting the Coalbrookdale ironworks and supplying shot (for cannon
) to the Board of Ordnance
. He had some dispute with the Company for Making Iron with Pitcoal. His brother Thomas Fox had worked that company as founder near London, casting grenado shells and shot for the Board in 1693, after which Thomas became warden of the Fleet Prison
, in which he stored 'bombs and grenado shells', probably ones empty of gunpowder
.
In 1701 he placed his brother in charge of another blast furnace
, at Wombridge to which Isaac Hawkins supplied a large quantity of coal and ironstone, which suggests that they smelted iron with coke. Unfortunately, Coalbrookdale Furnace blew up, not later than April 1703, and Thomas died not long after. Coalbrookdale Furnace remained derelict until it was restored by Abraham Darby in 1709.
After leaving Coalbrookdale, Shadrach had an interest in a corn mill near London and worked as a founder
casting shells for contractors, probably supplying the East India Company. He was then recruited to go to Russia
to enter the service of Peter the Great. He travelled by way of Archangel
, but died in the course of his first winter in Russia, leaving a destitute widow in England and several children,of whom his son Mesech served as a soldier and later sought to recover his father's property (but there was none).
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....
who preceded Abraham Darby
Abraham Darby I
Abraham Darby I was the first, and most famous, of three generations with that name in an English Quaker family that played an important role in the Industrial Revolution. He developed a method of producing pig iron in a blast furnace fuelled by coke rather than charcoal...
at Coalbrookdale
Coalbrookdale
Coalbrookdale is a village in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, England, containing a settlement of great significance in the history of iron ore smelting. This is where iron ore was first smelted by Abraham Darby using easily mined "coking coal". The coal was drawn from drift mines in the sides...
.
Shadrach was probably the son of Captain Thomas Fox, who appears in the accounts of Philip Foley
Philip Foley
Philip Foley was the youngest of the three surviving sons of the British ironmaster Thomas Foley . His father transferred to him in 1668 and 1669 all his ironworks in the Midlands for £60,000...
in 1669 as buying tough 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...
,
In the 1690s, Shadrach was renting the Coalbrookdale ironworks and supplying shot (for 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,...
) to the Board of Ordnance
Board 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...
. He had some dispute with the Company for Making Iron with Pitcoal. His brother Thomas Fox had worked that company as founder near London, casting grenado shells and shot for the Board in 1693, after which Thomas became warden of the Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
, in which he stored 'bombs and grenado shells', probably ones empty of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
.
In 1701 he placed his brother in charge of another 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 Wombridge to which Isaac Hawkins supplied a large quantity of coal and ironstone, which suggests that they smelted iron with coke. Unfortunately, Coalbrookdale Furnace blew up, not later than April 1703, and Thomas died not long after. Coalbrookdale Furnace remained derelict until it was restored by Abraham Darby in 1709.
After leaving Coalbrookdale, Shadrach had an interest in a corn mill near London and worked as a founder
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
casting shells for contractors, probably supplying the East India Company. He was then recruited to go to 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...
to enter the service of Peter the Great. He travelled by way of Archangel
Archangel
An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...
, but died in the course of his first winter in Russia, leaving a destitute widow in England and several children,of whom his son Mesech served as a soldier and later sought to recover his father's property (but there was none).