Peter Kirk (1840-1916)
Iron and Steel Manufacture of Workington and later the USA
Born 15 Feb 1840 at Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire. Son of Peter Kirk (1805-1875) and his wife Hannah née Oliver, of Townend.[1]
1851 Census – At Townend, Chapel en le Frith. Son of Peter Kirk, iron manufacturer, of Peter Kirk and Bros.
In the mid-1850s he is said to have moved with his father and brothers to the Star Iron Works, Newbridge Lane, Stockport.
1861 Census – (aged 21) At Havelock Terrace, Workington. Living with his elder brothers, Henry and Thomas, all three iron manufacturers. At this stage, they traded together as Kirk Brothers, with premises at New Yard, Workington.
1863 Peter left Kirk Brothers (at the time called Kirks and Dineen). His place in the partnership was taken by Charles William Dixon and the firm was renamed Kirks and Dixon.[2] (Dixon left in Nov 1865).
It is not clear what Peter did immediately after this. He married Mary Ann Quirk on 7 Sep 1865 and the newspaper notice says he was of Kirk and Dixon, Iron Merchants, but no such firm has been found (unless it refers to his brothers’ firm Kirks and Dixon, iron manufacturers).
1866 Peter Kirk registered the first of his many patents. More information below.
C1867 entered into partnership with his brother-in-law, Charles James Valentine, as iron manufacturers at Derwent Rolling Mills, Stanley Street, Workington. Traded as Kirk and Valentine.
1871 Census – Iron Manufacturer. Resided at Seaton.
c1872 Founding partner, Moss Bay Hematite Iron Company
1873 Directory - Kirk and Valentine, Stanley Street, Workington. Iron Manufacturers. Home, 5 Senhouse Terrace, Workington. 1875 One of the promoters (with C J Valentine and others) of the Cleator and Workington Junction Railway.[3]
1880 Partner in newly constituted Workington Hematite Iron and Steel Company.[4]
1881 Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Co converted to a limited company. C J Valentine and P Kirk joint managing directors.[5]
1881 Census – Bank Field House, Workington, Iron Master. A substantial mansion, shared with his sister and brother-in-law, the Valentines.
1883 Joint managing director, Moss Bay Hematite Iron and Steel Co; of Bankfield, Workington[6]
1887 To meet demand for rails in America the Moss Bay company decided to establish a duplicate iron and steel works in the USA. Peter Kirk had been in America for some time securing land and acquiring mine royalties, choosing a site in Seattle for the works. [7] The Moss Bay Iron and Steel Company of America was incorporated in 1888 and construction began. The town of Kirkland was established to house workers. The project failed in 1889 for want of funds. A new company, Great Western Iron and Steel Company was formed, involving Kirk, but not, as far as can be ascertained, the British Moss Bay company. The works, though almost completed, never produced steel.
Peter Kirk stayed in America for the rest of his life, involved is several other ventures, which are described elsewhere.
Died 4 May 1916 at Washington Harbour, San Juan, Washington, USA.[8]
Further reading:-
- ‘The Pioneering Life of Peter Kirk – From Derbyshire to the Pacific Northwest’ By Saundra Middleton, 2021 ISBN 978-1-09837-091-6
- The Crucible, Historical Metallurgy Society News, Issue 109 Summer 2022, page 18. Review of the above book.
PATENTS
Some of the British patents granted to Peter Kirk have been identified below.
- 1866 patent 2895. Dated 7 Nov 1866, sealed 12 Mar 1867. “Certain improvements in machinery or apparatus for rolling metals.” [9] Specification
- 1869 Patent 1668. Dated 31 May 1869. “Improvements in puddling furnaces, and in other furnaces employed in the manufacture of iron and steel." [10] Specification
- 1872 Patent 3459. Dated 20 Nov 1872. “Improvements in apparatus to be employed in connection with rolling mills, to facilitate the handling and expedite the rolling of masses of metal.” Specification
- 1873 Patent 1782. Dated 15 Mar 1873. " Improvements in stoves and fire-grates for use in dwelling houses and other buildings." Specification
- 1875 Patent 885. Dated 10 Mar 1875. "Improvements in puddling and heating furnaces, and in the fire-grates of such furnaces, and in the method of supplying the same with fuel." [11]
- 1876 Patent 470. Dated 5 Feb 1876. "Improvements in rolling-mills employed in the manufacture of iron and steel." [12] Specification
- 1881 Patent 637. Dated 15 Feb 1881, sealed Aug 1881. “Improvements in Rolling Mills employed in the Manufacture of Iron and Steel.” [13] Also patented in USA.
- 1882 Patent 913. Dated 25 Feb 1882. “Rolling Mills used in the manufacture of metals”
- 1884 Patent 10036. Dated 11 Jul 1884. “Improvements in Tram Rails and in the Manufacture thereof” Believed to refer to “Kirk’s Reversible Girder Rail”, a tramway rail[14]
- 1884 Patent 15396. Dated 22 Nov 1884, sealed Dec 1885. “Improvements in, and in the manufacture of, Combined chairs and sleepers.”[15]
- 1884 Patent 15497. Dated 25 Nov 1884, sealed Nov 1885. “improvements in ovens or furnaces for heating ingots and blooms, or for maintaining the heat thereof.” [16]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ US Death Certificate and register of baptisms
- ↑ London Gazette – 3 Nov 1863
- ↑ Prospectus - Cumberland Pacquet - 23 Nov 1875
- ↑ Cumberland Pacquet and Ware's Whitehaven Advertiser - 13 Jan 1880
- ↑ Manchester Courier - Thursday 10 March 1881
- ↑ The Directory of Directors, 1883
- ↑ Carlisle Patriot - Friday 10 June 1887
- ↑ Death Certificate
- ↑ London Gazette
- ↑ London Gazette - 24 Aug 1869
- ↑ https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/24192/page/1728
- ↑ London Gazette – 3 Mar 1876
- ↑ Birmingham Daily Post - 12 Aug 1881
- ↑ Railway News - 13 Dec 1884
- ↑ Burnley Express - 26 Dec 1885
- ↑ Preston Herald - 2 Dec 1885