Monk Bridge Iron Co

Monk Bridge Iron Works from the air.

View of the works; an 1853 oil painting.

of Leeds

1851 The Monkbridge Iron Co began business

1854 Purchased by James Kitson of Leeds. James Kitson, Junior and his elder brother, Frederick William Kitson (1829–1877), were put in charge of the ironworks.

Built up a large trade in high-grade iron and steel, chiefly for railway work, both at home and abroad; its products included Best Yorkshire iron.

1858 Amalgamated with the Airedale Foundry.

1862 James Kitson, Junior was effectively head of the firm from 1862

One of the earliest to install a Siemens steel furnace.

Frederick withdrew through ill health some years before his death in 1877

1876 James Kitson retired

John Hawthorn Kitson (1843–1899) assisted his brother in running the firm

1876 Members of the Iron and Steel Institute visited their ironworks

Made steel using the Siemens–Martin open-hearth process.

1886 Became a limited liability company still exclusively under family control

1886 Became the Monk Bridge Iron and Steel Co

See Also

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Sources of Information

• Biography of James Kitson, first Baron Airedale, ODNB