Abraham Darby IV
Encyclopedia
Abraham Darby IV was an English ironmaster.
He was born in Dale House, Coalbrookdale
, Shropshire
the son of Edmund Darby, a member of the Darby ironmaking family and Lucy (née Burlingham) Darby. He was a great-nephew of Abraham Darby III
.
In 1830, he and his brother Alfred took over the management of the Horsehay
foundry, one of several foundries owned by the family business, and set about re-establishing the Coalbrookdale Company's reputation by investing in new technology there for the manufacture of wrought iron.
In 1844 he became a major shareholder in the Ebbw Vale
ironworks in South Wales
. After a series of family disagreements, he resigned his management of the Coalbrookdale Company in 1849, and, in 1851, bought Stoke Court near Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire
, and moved to live there. He also acquired property at Treberfydd
in Breconshire, Wales. He acted as a Justice of the Peace in both counties, and, in 1853, was appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
.
Although born into a Quaker family, he joined the Church of England and paid for the building of Holy Trinity church in Coalbrookdale (1850–54).
He died at Treberfydd and was buried at his church in Coalbrookdale. He had married his cousin Matilda Frances, the daughter of Francis Derby, in 1853.
He was born in Dale House, 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...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
the son of Edmund Darby, a member of the Darby ironmaking family and Lucy (née Burlingham) Darby. He was a great-nephew of Abraham Darby III
Abraham Darby III
Abraham Darby III was an English ironmaster and Quaker. He was the third Abraham Darby in three generations of an English Quaker family that played a role in the Industrial Revolution....
.
In 1830, he and his brother Alfred took over the management of the Horsehay
Horsehay
Horsehay is a village on the western outskirts of Dawley, which, along with several other towns and villages, now forms part of the new town of Telford in Shropshire, England. Horsehay lies in the Dawley Hamlets parish, and on the northern edge of the Ironbridge Gorge area.Its name is Anglo Saxon...
foundry, one of several foundries owned by the family business, and set about re-establishing the Coalbrookdale Company's reputation by investing in new technology there for the manufacture of wrought iron.
In 1844 he became a major shareholder in the Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
ironworks in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. After a series of family disagreements, he resigned his management of the Coalbrookdale Company in 1849, and, in 1851, bought Stoke Court near Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, and moved to live there. He also acquired property at Treberfydd
Treberfydd
Treberfydd is a Victorian country house built in Gothic Revival style in 1847-50, just south of Llangorse Lake in the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales.It is surrounded by of landscaped gardens and is open to the public during August....
in Breconshire, Wales. He acted as a Justice of the Peace in both counties, and, in 1853, was appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times...
.
Although born into a Quaker family, he joined the Church of England and paid for the building of Holy Trinity church in Coalbrookdale (1850–54).
He died at Treberfydd and was buried at his church in Coalbrookdale. He had married his cousin Matilda Frances, the daughter of Francis Derby, in 1853.