The Introduction of the Cupola for Smelting down Lead to Derbyshire

Bull. Pe:?;.;: D:.st. M.'.Iles Hist. Soc., Vol. �-, Pari; 5, pp.3&,-391 ,. , June 1971
T'r:'.E IN:!'RODlTCTION OF THE CUPOIA 'FOR SMELTJNG- DCNIN LFAD' TO
DERllYSHmE
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by
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LYNN WILLIES
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In Darl;,yshire in the early 18th oe.'lt'..:.ry, lead was smelted at fue
ore hearth. T:,is process uaad. white ooal (wood chips) as f'uel, an.d
z·eo_ui;:•ad e.ri s:�r bla.at pr.ovided by water-power.ed. bellows.
Smel·�i.ng !::l.lls,
e.3 ti1e:;· wa;.·,n terlllSd, were t.hus sited on stTeams, at a local convenient
for ore, ?ueJ. ano. market.
The main concentrations 01' mills appea:- (as .
ye'c no .:'eF..l30l18.bly oomplets list :ls available) to have been to the east e.!i.d
soutl'l of' ·�;.ie 01·sf5.el0..
ReoenJ.; :! 'esearoh (Nichol et a.1 1970) sugges-;;a -l;!",2,·�
Mo3i; ;;'essible J.ocations had a smelting mill - the w:lde d:J.spersion pos::iibly
beiug th9 rei,ult of' small scale operations e.nd i�he problem of' timbe2•
su:,;,pJ.y.
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Tb.e smeil t·:11,� mill was a fairly s�le struct1.1re.
It requi:o'."ed onl;r
a 8lll&ll a.a� ar.d we.tei"Woi·k::, a!ld a bar-n like building to contafo the hee.:·t,'1.
This we.s usue.lly cor.1st::-.iotea. of' gri tstone blocks ao as to form an oblone
cesvi'i--:; perha�s three by t;,o i'eet and jll$t over a. foot :ln depth. .Ax1 ai:;.•
nos:::,:le, 01• t-uyere, from the bellows an tereci. at t.he :·ee.r, bl011'i."lg the o::e/
f'uel miz'ours, whilst amal tsd lead overflowed. into the pot at i:he :f'ro!l!.;.
I-'c we.B tl'1us r:.ot unliks a. blacksmith's hearth.
!times were ramo-...,ecl by a.n
aroheo. stone hoco. sur.nounted by a chil!l.ney.
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For small scale operation it had a nwnl:>e!' of' adva..'lte.geB: it could
be s-'.=ar"'i;ed. ui: a?!d shut dcrNn very �apidJ..v wit..lio1.1t an..v excessive l1ea.t loss,
a:ir, could use e looa:i. fuel and power source.
Its capital cost can be
e..ssurr:.Aci ·,o be mod.era.ta, while·(; rw_ning costs wez-a low e Tl'�e d.:J.s:a.i-:a.zita.ges
beoaula rc.nz·e i1:rwo1�·taJ1t as t..tle scale of operations g:.�ew. Due to 'overhestil..g
r,.nd ef':f'3ot of' -��e fumes produced, it llnd t o be shut down <lsily, �.a aeeme
-�o hl'.7e rs1u:l.�·eci. rebuilding almost weekly.
In +.hr-t Shef'f':5.eld. az-ea
e.s:oec::.S.:i.J.�,, ·i;ne '�imber supply.;p roblem would of'ts..'l b,;, am.\i:0, ow:.ng ·i;o
dellla.::ids t�on;. other :1.!!iUstries- there. F:i:.1.e.ll;r, :i. ta e!':f'io:1ency was f:'o.iI·J�,lcn,, ::o t?m·� t!1e slag needed. resmelt4ng i.n a. slag hear·�h (or slag.iti.11).
r
As in o·l;..'1.er fuel-using i.'ldustries, attempts we!'e m,,.de to overooms
ti1a -�j_mbe!• aho:,.�ts.ge by ihe substitution of coal o::: oolr..e £or wh:tte�oal 01.�
ob.e.:coa:i. ., but, a.z 1-'tl. the iron and glass indust.�iee, :tllq)u.rlt5.ea, eapeoi.'3.-:.J.J
aulpbw:·, or5$.taa. p1·oolems,
In the 18th centur:r t.his p1·Jblem appeu?.'Z. not
to !::e.vi; bee�1 a.�,;�is::'o.oto1·:i.J,y ovGrcome :L'l the ore hea.rtn, ai; leas·'.; :in
Derb,ysl1i�...-;.
b:::.tcl.8.a, amelters gradual.1.y a.a.opted the '"'·"1.4.f ole.. !°t!.l'l'..aoe, w!:iic:1
In the ou:;,ola, the f'uel wafl
o:,;,e.re;i;eo. O::! ·;;..>;.e ::evarbera.tory principle,
sepai�2/;;00. :'.';.·om ·the c.�·s by means of a 'bridge' , so that aey :i.rupurii:iea Wf-'�'9
385
Thus it could use coal as fuel.
(Similar furnaces
not transmitted ,.
w ere developed by the Cranage Br others at Coalbrookdale, and b y Cort at
Fontley, near Southampton, for use in wrought iron manufacture , whilst
the principle was prob ably first developed in the glass industry)
As
the cupola did not need water-power (motive power for the gases was
provided b y the chimney effect) it was possible to locate it on any
�onvenient site,
To be used efficiently, it required col)tinuous
operation, using perhap s 20 tons of ore a week 0 which was a considerable
advantage if ore supply could be maintained.
Theoretically the efficiency
was h.tgher, as particles were not removed b y the gentler air flow; or lead
absorbed into the ash. Higher capital costs of t.�e furnac e were at least
in part compensated for by the reduced need for waterworks and bellows,
though these were often utili sed, if availab le, for a slagmill.
There wa s
of course no longer any power restriction on the size of plant, so that
economies o:f sc-ale wer e possible . The problem of coa.1 supply was not
difficult due to the close proximity of l ead and coal mining areas in
Derbyshire•
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The firat definite information a s to its u se appears to b e in 1676
when Samuel Hutch:i.nson, th e n in 1678 George, Visoount Grandison, took out
pa tents II to melt and r efine lead in close or reverberated furnaces with
pit coal", and within a few years two such works were in operation near
Its adoption was soon fairly widespread,
Bristol.
(Jenkins 1933=4).
and b y 1700 was in use in Ireland, Pembrokesh:i.re, and Flintshire as well,
By 1711, Hellot (1753) recorde d one in Norway, presumably und er English
ownership as it used only English coal for i'uel,
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Its spread into Derbyshire s eems to have be en delayed until about
1737, though Rhodes (1968) has demonstrated enough Derby shir e -Flintshire
mining connections to suggest the reason was not lack of communication,
Traditionally, as by Farey (1811 Vol. 1 p.385) and others, it has been
assumed that the London Lead Company, who, af'ter their incorporation in
1692, took over one of the Bristol Cupolas, were responsib le, at Bowers
Mill, for its introduction to Derb yshire, tholll}h it now appears that b oth
the London Lead Company, and Richard Bagshav1e lpossibly with technical
help from the Twigg Family) at Olda, introduced the proc ess almost
simultaneously� and almost certainly, independently.
(See Willies 1969
P- 97=115) ,
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By 1752� several other cupolas had been built, apparently b ased
on experience at Olda rath er than Bor1ers Mill, and b y the 1760s the
p:r.oce ss was widespread. By the 1780s the ore hearth in Derbyshire was
(Shacklow near Ashford, and Northlees near
practically extinct,
From then until about 1850, the
Hathersage operated until about 1781).
cupola with its associated slagm:ill was probably the only method of
smelting used. After this date it appears gradually to have been
super�eded by modified forms of the ore hearth and slagmill, using coal
or coke as fuel,
The main bind.rane e to its introduction into Derb yshire was presumably
that it w as new in an already well established lead-smelting ar ea.
Thus it
386
req_'U.'.U'.'<"<1 ·�e r.'..rtual so�-app:ll.\g of' the e:rlat:l.ng !''":n'.;, anl the pr.·o·;:,.ro.on o:'.'
..:,:-3,1,;.·�.:!.> v.'!1:.'J.;:it t.U".:3ra was little o;:- no o;ie�t:ln,e; expGr�e.nce 01• info::rae:�:i.011
'
s. ::»out :."'lClllin; co::·;;z..
Unfort--...1..'t:.a·�·�"T �-ns"-.tf'.f:'i.c:.E.,n1.i �:� :.s ez:·Galtt to a.l:lo,\1'
ol cJ.eto.i).Gd. s:�w..:nat'"l.011 of' t.b·a London L�.O. C�&.t\V11 s expe:·:l9nuen a::; !owars
M:i.II, but i:l i::�s is to so:c::.3 ex-;;ani; co?41pona.�\:.arl £v,:- by t.te notebooks or. Ric!1.g.�·Q.
3e.gs:iawe, ll'$ld s:� ·i;he John R;iTJJJ-n.ds Lib:?a.::-;7, �rid ·i;he Bax·k.11· Fe,l:"..D..y e.coow1t
booJ.cs :ield. �.'.; ·i;:�a She:?::':l.s.lcl City L:i.b::'9.?'i,;,s, wh::.uh par::i..:l:� a co�i,s.:'a. t:;:.rely
eooo. e.sses.:n,ie;,1 t to ·oe J!C,o.e of.' tha eco;io;::d.c proi>lsms · during the k£,;7
oba.!l8<a10ver ps::-iod e,r·�a:· :1.735 •
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The �.gs�1s:;;1e i"er!.A..U.,V h.s.Ct wiue i'1i £.1asts ::.a �.rL·tng and. in s�al t:i;.tg, w:::'.;�1
Ths,7 aw.:,.ec:. sro.eJ.t:1.!:t� ;.,,.iJJ.s
ruine.s s.t Cp, :'·;;.J.atoz: (Cd:1-n) and Eye.m sep3cfally.
e'.; (i.n ::;27)
ai�,;:. He.lls Eoi.ae
To·�lE,y, a!'..d Nor·�:.i Lees (No;�J.,�y) in
!-!s.t::terZG.g,s. c
R:'..nl!:l.7.'5. Be.gnhs.we a·� t.l:lis ·�:bu::i had post{:.i...J.;y- o:aly jus·� bl.:)gun
t>lueJ.ti:1g on h::.c 0-m.1 �:.ccoru·C, a& his notas in.c.:luS:.0 a g:'!3a:t; n�iJ;:!Y:" o�
obsenat:"cone wl.i:i.oh a. p�ot:i.ced aoolter wocld ha::-11.;y ::;.eed to :."1300:'1.
The
ru;,t1>:e o::' t,1;; Olce. :•3cor'1;; :ts g0.,eruD;r eoo!:'. ai; to ,r�ges·� they we:;,•e pa:..�t:
o:1' s. no·i;ebook, s.nci. as ai.::ih B.l'e far. moJ.'13 �·eve:u.::.:..g 7,):,9.3 t,he mo::-a t' wi!:9.1
a.ccou:at Cl ooks�
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��::.s �.lz-3-'.; no·:;05 conC(:J:r:,-1ed the ·t;(lu}.:J f.01m:i a·� 0].it. Mill, an1 �13
HG euc:i.1 boug.'1t fv:.··;;:.:el� ·::::ools, aJ..: &. <.:os·\i o'Z
"Cout£il',ti!!· oi.• i:lr;i Oara He!:'.:·±:;{ .
£5. �s {" 70..
�:e �.U.e a. lis·� � th-$ ooatt-\ oi' smr-1lti:.. g aJ.; M::· Rot.� ·'3:."'h9Xl' s
Mi..1.J.o (F.iassee ot !:i:alla Eot?.ee M:'i.11 from El:.rt....1.l:·r;,tt:. C1e.: .•k,;, �o::::"!ns:.�17 Bags.:l.av:e
by LJS.r:-:..$.gs,, s.uU. Dt>..n:1,sl Cla:,:-ka, RYJ:i 0 Bs.g.:r_3/3/. 51j7u, 50'ib, 508a.)
He i1otad
·�;,e ov:;·�s ,,�· ce.n��:,;,g,a to HulJ., vfa. i:b.0 Wicke;: (Sh'9f.'f'�-�,1c1.) a.:.:.d Donoaste:·,
· ggcst.a !le tz:�ea ·�u c:ost the 1·m:•cba�e te!U.
e.nd !'c�.:swbat in.53.s·�:I.r!c·� W't·:1 ting su
ce.r-�..5-a.ge oi' v,!1:\-�"7 c cnl fc-1• each i' oic1er o:' �..":?t:t.d. p!•o'71.:to·�z. (R�""L.Be.g.f/3/i' ,,)
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In fa:;, l7;i0s Fega:::e.we aean9ti ,my p;:,aououpieu. with the e cono::nics o::
steel t::_r:is> s.nc.l wi'!:h 1��l� emou'.lt of l13ad 1..11 a g-lven g:v.a11 t:l:�y 01"' or.e.
On v:�,.a
l>E-,ge t:e l.lotaa. a se.•:ies of' q�:-ssti.011.s: How :na:·:;,r load.:; o:.•
= 1 ::'oi<le;:' o:?
He BUI'j;)Ooes
l,�ci.?
T:�e weigh...; o::" a Oiail. ., the w�ig�t of a f'oiid0r of o"l!e?
n loac1. of o:ce t.J lli.$.ke oll'!> foclier of 1 z,a,d. - ·:;}at w:1�\1 -'.;.�s ·1:n:-ic$ o:;· l
fe:tl
Ee
by 10/-·, t:�0n 'we CJ.·r:,p ,.,,:-a J/6 pe::- 109,ci wi:i:!.oh :!.:: :u;/-' (p3l' focicl.er).
0
:lit!. ao.:.; !i:u.w. !1crn· t1::.e m:i?: .-Ztti�e crf f"odde:.� e::.f'f"entstl t!:'.,=, ;.r.-lo•3 - we.!.i :�. ·�
6,"0VGl'l!�d b:•.,. t!:0 EU:tl Ol"' T.o·;;l3;y we:1.ght ( 2 ,31.: -U :tu ,. e.ilC. 2 f�20 :'_b •
.
t:..Ud. �� �·are;1t s�.:;eis
IIe Vias pus::lGd ov�l· CQ O.u·;;::_ .��,
rss�yeo·�iv·al.y)•i
"'
�f ,'l..ish ., i\."-111 1::?.r1:'.;zui to :nlo'"N, 'wh:r ia y� p7lcGi o� y..; lea.6. :1:J.£:h·.3:.. '?
lR'::'L.2a.i .., &f3/8$,.)
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F oriu:!!a te�;:-, he aJ.e o .'f:�·oviciecl sOU:) ot t::ii;: c.::s�:::-:..·s.
Ha ·GQ.b\!2.9, ·t;od
t;:ie w��.�..'.1t ot t. fo60.e:- t'\t c.15.i":':'"�r;;:;11t pJ.':..o·:1 s, ·i.;.'le llifs�·s:nt a�.:.;es o:t d.2;•?, .1�.e,
(see [:'lOsS:?,:LjT) i.uo. ?lc;.d (;:.;;ore:e F!s;vwood, !:is e.,.:0n·� t:ur :::1a Eya:;i E:lge Jd:b.es,
O:.·e.-r, up 2� �.in·� o:r t�e: weig�·\:s of' ors ard sm:t·:.:no:.1 1'e�· C�.sh, fo� t�.o:i ,-;-� rl.$,
Fcx· 072.�;J_g:
tuic!. ce.!..ov�!2.teJ. ·�.1a }_jJre�1.Y' 111·0:?i·& �19:i:• f-08.61�:t· :t• 1�-'l.:�.
:387
Shaw Engine Mine
Other pal;ts
Other parts "
Lady Wash Mine
l dish smithom
lb.
st.
10
4
12
4
10
4
0
4
etc.
l dish ore
lb.
st.
4
8
6
11
0
4
3
4
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From this he calculated the weight of ore at Shaw Engine.
9 dish
or ore "weigh 40s# and do expeot 9 dish make l pigg of lead and 8 to l
fodder", so that
..I
s.
d.
£
10. 16. o.
118 do of ore sold 27s./load comes
2. B.
add 5d,/load cope
Carriage of ore to milnes ls. p ml
O.· a. o.
o. 16. o.
Comn Price Smilting p fod
12.
Cost
12.
a.
o. o.
2.
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l fodder of lead sold at iililn
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Lo ·11c,�
.,
S.ave pr9fi t of slaggs , 11
..
'
(RYL.Bag, 8/3/85)
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He also noted the method �f pricing ore, presuma:bly that which was in
gen�ral Ulle, if the lead price -was £13. 10s. a ton, then each pound weight
p·e r·dis· h'.civer 6011). was worth l/3d 0 more in value, and vice versa, (per
load) ,
If the price was £20 per ton, then each pound difference was worth
2/6. per load. (RYL.Bag.8/3/89)
•
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The ba sic
price of ore was prem.unabl,y based on what the smelter
·
found·possible, or what he was forced to pay to compete with other smelters.
As accounts for mining were kept entj.rely separate, because of the
partnership system at the mine, the full competitive price had usually to be
paid, a nd the loss made up out of smelting profits. The costs of smelting,
"Comn Price", was notional, and included running costs, overheads, returns
on capital, and operating prof'it.
It was thus possible to continue
smelting as long as 'real• expenditure did not eX'()eed •real' income, th11ugh
in the long run the operations would be considered unprofitable, and a major
rapair might not be worthwhile.
The cost of carriage seems to have been
about 6d. per ton/mile, and the efficiency (ore:to lead ratio) about 5<:%,
which is in line with other examples in his account.
(This assumes the
u.se of the Hull fodder - which the price implies; see Willies 1969,
p,179-91).
Bagshawe did carry on smelting, e.s in 1736 he compared the running
costs of smelting at his Norley or Northlees Kill at Hathersage ,- and at
his Olda Mill at Tetley.
:
388
Oa:ra Hearth Sm.:,1 ting
Northlees
d.•.
llo
For l fodder
5
4
3
8
6
6
6
2
8
6
6
6
2
4
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8
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3
hs
.
'°
Smelt-J..ng
Se!'T.9:l'llg Heart11
Drying oole and �tt:lng to
heart:,.
K110 ok:i.ng slagge
Dr:l!!k
Smith
Co1$6
Olda
s. d.
6
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An a.ooeunt for slag smelting :I.a the same for both Nor.thlees and Olde, ao
t!lat a fodder os slag lead oost 18/2, with Bagsha� reokoning that the
value of t.he slag was about 1/6 per pig or ore lead pro duced.
This wuld
rand.er the sll3ltin.g of Shaw Engine ore profitable, even with notiolOAl
ooet-lng.
The different ooats of smelt'.i.ng at the two si tea is thus due to
the cost of wood - ignored a;I; Northlees, but coated oloser to Sheffield and
oompeting interests. (RYL.Bag.8/3/ll).
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!n the 89.!llS document, p:robab]s' also writtsn ill 1736, t.1:iere is tee
firs·� indication of Bagshawe• s interest :in cupola smelting.
He seems ·i;o
Thus:
have obtained de.ta on the operation and oosts of a "oupilo".
11 Cu p:ilo
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Charges
me.kee 5 fod.r l pgg or 2 pggs with 60 oorves of coalea
which oollts 2/6 and O;).I'I'iaga 5/6 but leaves a deal of' slaok
which g:l.vaa ,Tones 12d and another to (two?) gives them 6
(6d?) a pieoe to run the bottom and loii112 no time works 12
Bhit'ts e.i!ld mixes the ore 0K
'
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There i11 a oommsnt on brick lllB.ld.ng of thsir own oJ..ay which folloWll this.
ttRu,;i,,,ng the bottom" at that period was done wseldy, and the ohargea seem
likely to !:>.ave bee!! computed for this period.
He e.lso seems to have ha<i.
an asea.y of ore from various mines:
"J. di11h of' 12 Mears ore (Eyam weighs 6?£ 6.!ld by Jon Needr.ams
msaaure 5,E: and half a pound of the ore makes 5 ounoes of' good
lead.
(?) ounce of Oden oare and Wham Head oare makes •••• , •
5 oun11e11 lead.
2 dish Oden Oare as from the grove (vein)
we:l.g.1:w J..32£ this make 11 70£ lead" •
It ·�hull app,sai.-a tba t he e:x:peoted a yield from the oupola of abou·t
It is not known how III!loh •oo:rvea' oontai.11.�d at
baaed on thril aaeay.
t t:il,1:9 01· pl.aol!l.
Tha mean:!ng of "measure £5" is und.s·�5lt'!Dined.
6�,
·..aa
Sho:-1;],y a.fte.-waras the oupola was installed, and was varioualy
rsferred to a.a Bagshaw111' s Cupola, and Twigg' s Cupola.
As the Twiggs were
389
involved in cupola smelting at Bagillt in Flintshire (Rhodes 1968 p.3411-),
it is tempting to speculate whether this was the source of Bagshawe I s
information.
There is also reason to believe (Rhodes - personal
communication) that the Bagshawe' s had some slight ..connection with the
London Lead Company, though this company generally seemed secretive
about the process (SCL.MD 3707) so that they are a rather unlikely
source, though clandestine information may not be ruled out.
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There are no direct comparisons of the relative costs of the
cupola against the ore hearth in Bagshawe' s notes, though he doubtless
made some.
It is however possible to reconstruct the sort of accounting
argument that he might have used.
2
o.
o.
.p
54s.
8.
w
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Cost say 27/- a load
Cope at 4d a load
Carriage at ?-id.mile load
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To produce one fodder of lead, the hearth (at 5Clft efficiency) would
need two fodders of ore, or 8 loads.
The cupola would need (at 63%
efficiency), about 6 loads, thus saving the costs of two loads of ore.
(Calculations h ave been based on a Hull fodder of 2 340 pounds and loads
of 9 dishes of 14 pints as for Eyam ore, eg. at Shaw Engine).
The
saving would be as follows::
Total 56s.
s.
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Against this it would be necessary to offset increased costs.
If the
wage components and fuel compone.nts are only included, then the cupola
would cost approximately 8/5 shillings for fuel, and 24/5 shillings
labour, per fodder, ie. about 6/4, whilst the hearth cost at Olda, serving,
drying, knocking, drink and coles, z,'8 per fodder.
In addition tti e slag
left after ore hearth smelting was worth 12/0 for each fodder of the
original ore lead processed, so that it cost about 15/8 per fodder more to
smelt lead in the cupola,
This was more than offset by the saving on ore,
so that overall, costs were reduced by about 4l/- a fodder of lead
(This assumes the 63% would be achieved, and as this seems
produced.
to be the assay value, then the slag would not be worth resmelting.
It
aJ.so assumes that overheads were, or would be, fairly similar, though any
variation in running costs is likely to more than offset any qualms on
this score).
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Whether or not Bagshawe ma.de this same calculation, he very soon
commenced building a cupola, so that by 14 June 1737, he was able to list
the charges of building in his notebook. As the account included the
"ridding" of the groundwork, and stone, slate, timber, etc., it is clear
that both a cupola f=ce and "case" were constructed.
The bill came
to about £137, though costs of some small items were not listed. About
£80 was spent on the furnace itself, and over £14 on the flue, not counting
any stone, lime, etc., which cannot be differentiated, whilst the case or
In the following year he added an orehouse,
house made up the balance.
smithy, and limehouse, at a cost of about £23. Thus his total initial
390
investment was about£160.
(RYL,Bag.fl/3/11),
How far this investment compares with that neoessa.ry for a smelting
mill of the old type is not known, but if a dam, lea.t, water-wheel, bellcms
and hearth had to be put in, then it seems unlikely that it would be much
less than for the cupola. A pair of bellows a.lone could cost about£11.
(SCL.Bag.4SZ..). Thus it does not appear that Bagshawe had to invest a
particularly large amount in the new process.
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The early results at Olda do not appear to have fulfilled the hopes
inherent in the calculations. �n undated entry, possibly in 1737 shov1s
Twigg was paid£15 at the Cupilo to smelt 8 fodder of lead, Twigg finding
all.
(RYL.Bag,fl/3/8)
In 1740 a list of tools at the Cupilo suggests
that it changed hands, (RYL.Bag,fl/3/8) and three years later it is
referred to as "Mr Twigg Furness", (RYL.Bag,fl/3/11) though it could be
that Bagshawe and he had formed some sGrt of partnership. A note below
the 1740 lists shows that smelters worked 12 shifts a week, putting one
(long) ton of ore into the furnace at one time, and producing seven pieces
of 120 pounds 0
This is an efficiency of only 35%, so that the Twigg
family experience was certainly needed, A further short note on the
other side of the leaf suggests that sometimes results-were better - as
"Oden Oare made 3:5".
The same entry suggests that 62 horse loads of
As a horse load cannot
coal were required to smelt 5 fodder l piece,
have been much less than 3 cwt. at the least, this suggests about 36 cwt,
were needed to smelt a fodder, or about 12 cwt, a shift. Smelting
would thus be very expensive in these first few years.
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It is possible that both ore hearth and cupola snelting were carried
out side by side at Olda at this period, as in 1765, a mortgage deed shows
that as well as two cupolas, there were still two ore hearths, so that the
poor results were not necessarily disastrous. Certainly slag smelting
continued until 1744, (RYL.Bag.8/3/10) though this is not necessarily
indicative of ore hearth smelting,
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In 1743, during Twigg's operations, the cupola furnace needed
extensive rebuild:!llg, requiring a total of over 2,000 square, key, and
thin flat, bricks.
In 1744 it required complete rebuilding,
The
old "Cupilow Bottom" was smelted in the slagmill, preducing over 3 ton
(RYL.Bag.B/3/10)
As complete
7 cwt, of lead, worth perhaps £30 or£35,
replacement would not be required, this would go a long way towards the
cost of' rebuild:!llg, Even so a further 2,000 bricks were required, costing
£6, Bs., and over SO yards of iron bars, suitable for strapping and bracing
The firehole and a
the arches, and a new 25 gallon pot, were purchased,
vtcrkhole needed nevt frames, and there were six new grate bars. Some
alterations in the design were made, so that the fire bridge was "17 inches
from the top part of the inside of the upper arch", Some information
was given of' costs and efficiency for 1744:
391
"Smelters wages per week
7/6
5/6
Labourers
- do �
Work 12 shifts for a week
-/6
Running bottom every weekend
Coles 7/6 per fodder, smith 2/- per week
Charges l ••• ? of 112 lb. to cwt or ore••• 118 owt.
of lsng hundreds for one shift which makes 7Ps (?)
which weigh 12 stone of long owt to a piece,"
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This may indicate an efficiency of about 58%, (ie. 18 cwt. of 120 lb. of
ore made 7 �ieoes of 180 lb.) and possibly that 112 lb, of coal was.needed
to smelt a (long) cwt. of ore,
If so, then the process would just about
be economic, There is also a note about slag smelting, so this too was
.still being carried out, apparently on the cupola slag. (RYL.Bag.8/3/11)
0
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9.
6.
756, o. o.
72. 10. 6.
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made 63 t 1 pig at £12
the mill weigh
so cleared
.p
5. o.
10. 6.
15. o.
10. 0
12. o.
4. o.
}le
23. 13, o.
£599.
29.
8.
5.
:.15.
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Price
Carriage of oare
Cope
Miln rent
Smilters Wages 4 at
Smiths
Coles 7/- corfe
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In 1746, George Barker smelted at the cupola, and brought 525 loads
of the half year ore (ie. of that quarter) from Eya.m, (RYL,Bag.8/3/11)
d
Charge is £1. 7 • / fod.
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Using mill fodders of 2 820 lb,, and allowing 62 lb, fbr each dish, this
gives an efficiency of about 61%.
Coal consumption, based on the relative
prices of 7/- a corf'e, and the 1746 price of 7/6 the fG>dder, was still
about 1:1 0 but bears little relation to the original estimate, either by
price or measure.
If', however, the hearth had been used, with an assumed
efficiency of 5�, and a notional oost of 16/- per fodder produced, only
52 fodders would have been produced, and even allowing for the value of the
slags at J/6 per (Ore) pig produced, total receipts would have been only
£655. 4,, with total charges of £679, 2. 6,, so that a loss of £23, 18. 6,
would have been made.
In June 1748, an account was me.de of tools at the Cupiloe,
delivered to George Barker, (RYL.Bag.8/3/11) certainly indicating a change
of control on this occasion, as George Barker's Partnership Accounts for
What happened to
Tetley Mills commence a �ew days later. (SCL.Bag,484)
Mr Twigg is not completely known. He certainly began smelting at
Kelstedge (Ashover) in or about 1740, and in addition it seems at least
possible that he began cupola smel ting soon after et Barber Fields Cupola,
'
392
hs
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close by the coal outcrop from which the coal used at Olda seems to have
come, possibly to reduce the transport costs of this conunodity. (SCL.Bag.
484). The affairs of the Barker Family are known in rather more detail,
and will form the basis of a future article... Briefly, they in 1784
operated four smelting mills; Shacklow, Calver, Rowsley, and Beeley, as
well as Olda Cupola. After G-eorge Barker's death in January 1752, his
brother Alex, in association with Milnes and Wilkinson, began expanding
cupola capacity, notably with the building of Harewood Cupola later that
year. A few years later, Washgreen and Lumsdale cupolas were taken over,
and rather later Stonedge and Upper Cupolas were also acquired. Another
branch of the same family were involved (built) Barbook and Alport, and
(leased) Lower Cupolas. It is thus clear that the influence of Olda
Cupola, and the experience gained there, played a crucial part in the
expansion of cupola smelting in Derbyshire.
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Of other cupola owners much less is known. Francis Hurt was
almost certainly using a cupola furnace at Washg::-een in 1784, and also
expanded capacity in the 1760s, at Meerbrook.
The source of his
information is unknown, but his influence can possibly be seen in the
Nightingales' and Galls' use of the cupola rather later.
(See Willies
1969 p.97-ll5 for data on individual sites).
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By about 1770, ore hearth smelting was in rapid decline - Barkers
for instance closed Stoke, Calver, and Barbrook around this date, but the
most interesting postscript on the dangers of being an innovator occurs
just before the ultimate or penultimate ore hearth closure, that of
Northlees, still owned and operated by the Bagshawes: in 1781, Robert
Middleton reported on smelting at the Lords' Cupola in Middleton Dale, to
William Bagshawe, son of Richard, and suggested he try it and see whether
he was a loser or not by '�your present way of running your ore". Middleton
suggested that a parcel of ore should be divided and half smelted at his
own mill the other half at Lords', "when the difference will be seen at
once". 1tRYL.Bag.8/3/50a)
ACKNOWLEIJGMENTS
,
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The writer wishes to record his thanks for help received in research
for the above, particularly from the Sheffield and Manchester Libraries
named, and particularly from Mr John Rhodes and Mr John Lawson.
M.S. Received lOth Sept. 1970
Lynn Willies,
H:ilderston,
Dale Road,
Matlock Bath,
DE4 3PS,
393
REFE!m<CES
Farey, J , 1811-15, A General view of the agriculture and minerals of
Derbyshire. 3 volumes.
Webb, J.S; Fletcher, W.K; Horsnail, R,F;
D, 1970, Regional Geochemical Reconnaissance
Area.. (I nstitute of Geological Sciences H.M.S,O. 37pp plus maps, £2,50,
•
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Nichol, I; Thornton, I;
Khaleelee, J and Taylor,
of the Derbyshire
Report No, 70/2),
hs
.c
Jenkins, Rhys. 1933-4, The Reverberatory Furnace With Coal Fuel
1612-1712, Trans. Newcomen Soc., Vol. 14, pp.67-81.
om
(A translation into French
Hellot, J. 1753, De la fonte des mines.
of Schluter. V.C.A. 1738 Grundlicher Unterricht von Huttewerken
etc.)
Translated from French into English by C.J. Williams.
(Unpublished) •
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Rhodes, J.N,, 1968, Derbyshire Influences on Lead Mining in North Wales
in the 17th and 18th Centuries, Bull, PDMHS, Vol. 3, Part 6,
pp,339-352.
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Willies, L,, 1969, Cupola Lead Smelting Sites in Derbyshire, Bull, PDMHS,
Vol. 4, Part l, pp,97-115,
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Willies, L., 1969, A Note on the Price of Lead, 1730-1900, Bull, PDMHS,
Vol. 4, Part 2, pp,179-91.
;
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..
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tall chimney �.r
·,--·
THE CUPOLA (REVERBERATORY)
FURNACE
.. ..,.
..=....j":
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( --- c.10 feet ---- )
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. ..I
.,,-,.-
next charge of ore
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·��{ijp'. hopper overt he
��&;,r,,,
crown hole
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flue system
Any Convenient Site
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