Hi,
Just uploaded some extracts from Edward Wadham's diaries to the Hafotty page (it seemed the most relevant). They suggest that Furness ironmasters were keen to get involved in a Merionethshire manganese mine. Any idea why?

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Well, spring steel has a manganese content (1%ish), and manganese steel (digger buckets) also has manganese (15%ish).

Maybe they were diversifying into alloys?

Chris.

Whilst manganese (alloy) steel was indeed one use, the big tonnage use in that period was as a deoxidant when teeming ingots. Additions of manganese to the ladle of molten steel (either tapped from an open hearth furnace or poured from a Bessemer converter) combined with excess oxygen and excess sulphur thus reducing unwanted gas bubbles in the steel when it was pured from the ladle into ingot moulds.

Just uploaded some extracts from Edward Wadham's diaries to the Hafoty page ...

Thanks, I hadn't come across Wadham before, that's a useful reference to know about.

For more information on the uses of manganese and the history of the Merioneth manganese industry see my website www.hendrecoed.org.uk/Merioneth-Manganese

The site also has information on some of the people mentioned in the diary extracts. I'll add an entry for Wadham to that section in due course and include an acknowledgement to Peter on the site.

Dave

Following on from my previous posting I've created a page for Edward Wadham on my website and included links to some of the mines and people he mentions in his diary.

However, there are a number of people I've not heard of before (particularly George Bargate who I suspect may have been Wadham's assistant). I would welcome further information.

Dave

Failed to find the page.
Edward Wadham was the Duke of Buccleuch's mineral agent in Furness. He also worked for other people as mining engineer, civil engineer, surveyor etc. Also JP, director of NLI Co and borough councillor. His other trips to Wales were to inspect slate mines. When he was looking for partridges he was probably carrying a gun.
William George Ainslie, MP was Chairman of NLI Co and manager of Harrison Ainslie & Co.
Edmund Ray was mines manager for Harrison Ainslie and would have enough on his plate at home.
Mr Stables, formerly of Askam appears later in the diaries when he asks for the promised expenses. We do not learn whether they were paid.
As to Phillips, I have no information.
George Bargate was an iron ore dealer. I think he owned railway wagons. He was managing owner of at least 3 steamships:
Lylie, 399 tons NRT
Ardeer, 141 tons NRT
Mary E Wadham, 331 tons NRT, named for Mrs Wadham whose maiden name was Ainslie.
He sold all but a few shares in his ships. Wadham and his family bought them and they all sank.

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He was managing owner of at least 3 steamships:
Lylie, 399 tons NRT
Ardeer, 141 tons NRT
Mary E Wadham, 331 tons NRT, named for Mrs Wadham whose maiden name was Ainslie.
He sold all but a few shares in his ships. Wadham and his family bought them and they all sank.

Not a lucky chap then? 🙂

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