Richard Reynolds (ironmaster)

Richard Reynolds (November 1735 – 10 September 1816) was an ironmaster, a partner in the ironworks in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, at a significant time in the history of iron production. He was a Quaker and philanthropist.

Richard Reynolds was born in Bristol in 1735, the only son of Richard, an iron merchant, and wife Jane. He was great-grandson of Michael Reynolds of Faringdon, Berkshire, an early Quaker. After his education he was apprenticed in 1749 to William Fry, a grocer in Bristol. After serving the apprenticeship in 1756, he was sent on business to Coalbrookdale, and there he became a friend of Abraham Darby II. He married his daughter Hannah at Shrewsbury on 20 May 1757.

He was in charge of Abraham Darby's iron works at Ketley, near Coalbrookdale, and in 1762 he bought a half share in the Ketley works. When his father-in-law died in 1763, he moved to Coalbrookdale and took charge of the works there, until Abraham Darby III came of age in 1768; he then returned to managing the Ketley works.

Reynolds did much to develop and extend the Coalbrookdale works. Under his direction the cylinders of early steam engines were cast there.

In 1766 a patent for refining iron was taken out under his auspices by the Cranege brothers; Thomas Cranege worked at a forge at Bridgnorth and his brother George worked at Coalbrookdale. The new process of converting pig iron into wrought iron used a reverbatory furnace powered by coal, instead of the charcoal used in a finery forge, and so was not dependent on a supply of wood. Reynolds saw its importance, and it seems to have been practically carried out at Coalbrookdale. The process was later developed by Henry Cort.

...
Wikipedia