Robert Thompson Crawshay facts for kids
.jpg)
Robert Thompson Crawshay (born March 3, 1817 – died May 10, 1879) was an important British ironmaster. An ironmaster was someone who owned or managed ironworks, which were factories that made iron.
Contents
Early Life and Learning the Business
Robert was the youngest son of William Crawshay. He was born at the Cyfarthfa Ironworks in Wales. From a young age, he was very interested in his father's ironworks. He spent a lot of time there, learning how everything worked.
As he grew up, Robert decided to learn the iron business hands-on. He worked in different parts of the factory, like the puddling, battery, and rolling mills. He even ate the same food as the workers to understand their lives better.
Taking Charge of the Ironworks
After his brother William passed away, Robert became the acting manager of the ironworks. Later, when his other brother Henry moved away, Robert took full control of the entire business.
On May 15, 1846, Robert married Rose Mary Yeates. She was 18 years old. They lived at the large Cyfarthfa Castle, which had 72 rooms. Their marriage was not always easy, but they had five children: William Thompson, Rose Harriette Thompson, Henrietta Louise, Robert Thompson, and Richard Frederick.
In 1860, Robert had a health issue that made him deaf. He used to love music, but after this, he spent his free time on photography, which was an expensive hobby back then.
Leading the Cyfarthfa Works
In 1846, the lease for Cyfarthfa Ironworks was renewed thanks to Robert's efforts. When his father, who was in charge, died in 1867, Robert became the only manager. He made many improvements to the works. He also developed the coal mines, making them more profitable.
At this time, over five thousand people worked at Cyfarthfa, including men, women, and children. They all earned good wages, and Robert made sure they were well cared for. People often called him the "Iron King of Wales."
Robert became well-known during the big strikes of 1873–1875. He didn't like unions for either the owners or the workers. However, when the workers formed unions and made demands, he agreed that the owners should also work together. Prices for iron were falling, and union activity increased at Cyfarthfa. Robert warned his workers about the problems if they continued their demands. When they wouldn't change their minds, the furnaces were slowly shut down.
Soon after, the iron industry changed a lot. New inventions like the Bessemer and Siemens processes meant that steel became more popular than iron. This led to the end of the old-fashioned iron trade for families like the Crawshays.
Robert wanted to reopen his works to help his employees. However, it became clear that Cyfarthfa could not make money anymore. The coal mines, though, stayed open and employed about a thousand people. Hundreds of his former workers also found jobs on his estates.
Later Life and Legacy
For the last two years of his life, Robert was not very involved in business. He was completely deaf and had other health problems. He passed away suddenly on May 10, 1879, while visiting Cheltenham for his health.
His son, William Thompson Crawshay, took over the management of the large coalfields. He also inherited his father's estate in Caversham, Berkshire.
