Abraham Darby II facts for kids
Abraham Darby II (born May 12, 1711 – died March 31, 1763) was an important English businessman. He was part of a Quaker family that helped start the Industrial Revolution. He was the second person in his family named Abraham Darby.
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Early Life and Family Business
Abraham Darby II was born in Coalbrookdale, a town in Shropshire, England. His parents were Abraham and Mary Darby.
He followed in his father's footsteps, working in the family's iron business. Their company, the Coalbrookdale Company, made many things from cast iron. These included cooking pots and kettles.
Innovations in Iron Production
The Coalbrookdale Company also helped improve Thomas Newcomen's steam engines. They used iron instead of more expensive brass for engine parts.
Abraham Darby II and his business partners made a big change in how iron was produced. They started using coke pig iron in special furnaces called finery forges. Coke pig iron is a type of iron made using coke, a fuel similar to coal.
This new method was used at their furnaces in Horsehay and Ketley, built in the late 1750s. His father had already used coke pig iron successfully for casting. Abraham Darby II's success in using it for forging was another important step. These changes helped lead to the huge growth in iron production during the Industrial Revolution.
Later Life and Legacy
Abraham Darby II passed away when he was 51 years old. He was married twice. With his first wife, Margaret Smith, he had three children. With his second wife, Abiah Maude, he had thirteen more children. Only four of these children survived, including Abraham Darby III, who would also become a famous ironmaster.
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