Sampson Lloyd
Sampson Lloyd (1808-1874) of Lloyds, Fosters and Co, Darlaston Iron and Steel Co and the Patent Shaft and Axletree Co
1808 June 7th. Born in Birmingham the son of Samuel Lloyd, a Banker, and his wife Rachel Braithwaite. Brother of Samuel Lloyd
1841 September 9th. Married at Arley Kings to Sarah Davis Zachary
1841 Sam Lloyd 70, banker, living in Aston with Rachel Lloyd 70, George B Lloyd 45, banker, Sampson S Lloyd 20, banker's clerk, Mary Lloyd 35, Howard Lloyd 3, Hannah Mary Lloyd 1, Sampson Lloyd 30[1]
1851 Living at Church Hill, Wednesbury: Sampson Lloyd (age 43 born Birmingham), Ironmaster. With his wife Sarah D. Lloyd (age 33 born Cirencester) and their two sons Sampson Z. Lloyd (age 8 born Wednesbury) and Francis H. Lloyd (age 6 born Wednesbury). Also his cousin Sampson L. Foster (age 19 born Fakenham), Banker's son. Three servants.[2]
1858 July 1st. Married at Bristol to Eliza Lydia Zachary
1874 September 26th. Died
1875 Obituary [3]
Sampson Lloyd was born in Birmingham on 7th June 1808, being the seventh son of Mr. Samuel Lloyd, banker, of that town.
After being apprenticed at a comparatively early age to his brother at Stockton-on-Tees, he was employed in his father's bank in Birmingham; and on the death of one of his brothers he took an interest in a colliery property at Wednesbury, which had belonged to the family for several generations; this led to the establishment of the firm of Messrs. Lloyds Fosters and Co. in 1835, in which he held a fourth share. The object of the company in the first instance was to develop the colliery, by building blast furnaces and introducing improved winding and pumping machinery; and in connection with the furnaces there was a small foundry and engineering establishment, of which he undertook the management.
As the railway system of the country began to be developed, Mr. Lloyd turned his attention to the manufacture of railway material; in this he was assisted by the late John Joseph Bramah, to whom he always considered that he was indebted for his first start in that branch of engineering work. Under his energetic management the business rapidly developed, and the Old Park Iron Works soon became one of the first establishments in the kingdom for the manufacture of wheels and axles and other railway material.
In 1856 large rolling mills were erected for the manufacture of tyres and axles &c.; and this for many years was a most successful branch of the company's business, to which were added, about ten years afterwards, works for the manufacture of Bessemer steel in all its branches.
Mr. Lloyd was always prompt to adopt any invention which was sufficiently developed to be applicable to his business. His firm were among the first in the South Staffordshire district to adopt the hot blast in their furnaces, and to utilise the waste gases for various purposes; and were among the earliest to introduce the improvements of the late Mr. Joseph Beattie and Mr. Mansell in the construction of railway wheels.
Numerous important contracts for bridge work were executed under Mr. Lloyd's superintendence for the Indian, Spanish, and Australian railways. One of the largest, works with which he was immediately connected was the new Blackfriars Bridge, London, for which his firm supplied the ironwork. Their part of the contract was executed without difficulty, but they unfortunately became guarantors for the contractors for the foundations and erection. This caused much anxiety and annoyance to Mr. Lloyd, but he persevered in spite of peculiar difficulties, which arose chiefly in connection with the unusual method adopted in the design of the work, of employing rectangular caissons of wrought iron in forming the foundation. This system had to a great extent to be abandoned, and it was largely owing to the perseverance and energy of Mr. Lloyd that the contractors were enabled to complete the work.
In 1867 the business of Messrs. Lloyds Fosters and Co. was transferred to the Patent Shaft and Axletree Co, of which Mr. Sampson Lloyd became vice-chairman, and he continued to take an active part in the management till within a year of his death, which took place on 26th September 1874, in the 67th year of his age, at Areley House near Stourport, where he had recently gone to reside.
Mr. Lloyd was a Member of the Institution from the commencement, having taken a leading part in its establishment; he was one of the Vice-Presidents for nine years, and an active member of the Council for ten years previously. He was chairman of the Darlaston Steel and Iron Co, and took much interest in the development of that company's property during the latter years of his life. He was also chairman of the South Staffordshire Water Works and of the Swansea Wagon Co, both of which were in a state of great depression when he took the office, and in his energy and perseverance their present prosperous position is largely due. During the greater part of his life he avoided public affairs, except in immediate connection with the town of Wednesbury; but after leaving that place and taking up his residence at Wassell Grove, Hagley, he became a Justice of the Peace for the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
His character was one of great energy and perseverance, and of the strictest integrity. He was of a most kindly disposition, and ever ready to sympathise with the sorrows and difficulties of others, whether poor or rich. In public affairs, in business, and in private life, the same good sense and energy were manifested by him in little things as in more important matters, and were always combined with his characteristic warm-heartedness and cheerfulness; he was consequently much esteemed and beloved by all who were connected with him in his various undertakings.
1875 Obituary [4]
MR. SAMPSON LLOYD was born in Birmingham on the 7th of June, 1808. He was the seventh son of Samuel Lloyd, banker, of that town; and was brought up at schools connected with the Society of Friends at Kendal, his mother’s native place, and afterwards at Tottenham.
At a comparatively early age he was apprenticed to his brother at Stockton-on-Tees. Subsequently he was employed in his father’s bank in Birmingham, until on the death of one of his brothers, he took an interest in a colliery property at Wednesbury, which had belonged to the family for several generations.
This led to the establishment of the firm of Lloyds, Fosters, and Co., in 1835, in which he held a fourth share. The object of the company, in the first instance, was to develop the colliery above referred to, by building blast-furnaces and introducing improved winding and pumping machinery. In connection with the furnaces was a small foundry and engineering establishment, of which Mr. Sampson Lloyd undertook the management.
As the railway system began to increase, his attention was turned to the manufacture of railway material. In this he was assisted by the late Mr. John Joseph Bramah, to whom he always considered that he was indebted for his first start in this branch of the trade.
Under his energetic management the business rapidly developed, and the Old Park Ironworks became one of the first establishments in the kingdom for the manufacture of wheels and axles, and other railway material.
In 1856 large rolling mills were erected for the manufacture of tires and axles, and this for many years was a most successful branch of the company’s business; to which was added, about the year 1867, works for the manufacture of Bessemer steel in all, its branches.
In January 1867 the business of Messrs. Lloyds, Fosters, and Co. was transferred to the Patent Shaft and Axletree Company, Limited, of which company Mr. Sampson Lloyd became vice-chairman, and he continued in the management till within a year of his death, which took place on the 26th of September, 1874, at Areley House, near Stourport, where he had recently gone to reside.
Mr. Lloyd was always foremost to adopt any invention which was sufficiently developed to be applicable to his business, The firm was among the first in the South Staffordshire district to introduce the hot blast in their furnaces, to utilise the waste gases for various purposes, as well as to introduce the improvements of the late Mr. Joseph Beattie, M. Inst. C.E., and Mr. Mansell, in the construction of railway wheels. Numerous important contracts for bridge-work were carried out under Mr. Lloyd’s superintendence for the Indian, Spanish, and Australian railways. One of the largest works with which he was immediately connected was the new Blackfriars Bridge, for which the firm supplied the ironwork. That part of the contract was executed without difficulty but being guarantors for the other contractors, and unusual difficulties being met with in forming the foundations, much anxiety and annoyance were experienced by Mr. Lloyd, to whose perseverance and energy it was mainly owing that the contractors were enabled to complete the work.
Mr. Lloyd was elected an Associate of the Institution on the 7th of April, 1857. He took a leading part in the establishment of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and was an active member of the council of that society for ten years, and was one of the vice-presidents from 1864 to 1872. He was chairman of the Darlaston Steel and Iron Company, and much interested in the development of the company’s property during the latter years of his life; also chairman of the South Staffordshire Waterworks Company and of the Swansea Wagon Company. Both of these companies were in a state of great depression when he took the office, and to his energy and perseverance their present prosperous position is chiefly due. During the greater part of his life
Mr. Lloyd avoided public affairs, except in immediate connection with the town of Wednesbury; but after leaving that place, and taking up his residence at Wassell Grove, Hagley, he became a magistrate for the counties of Staffordshire and Worcestershire. Mr. Lloyd was a man of great energy and perseverance, of a kindly disposition, ever ready to sympathise with the sorrows and difficulties of others, whether poor or rich. In public affairs, in business, and in private life, the same good traits were manifested in little things as well as in more important ones, always combined with characteristic warm-heartedness and cheerfulness. He was much esteemed and beloved by his family and workpeople, and all those connected with him in his various undertakings.
1874 Obituary [5]