The 19th Century
William Fitzwilliam
William was born on 30th May 1748 and died on 8th February 1833.
He inherited Wentworth Woodhouse from his uncle in 1782. In 1794-5, he was briefly Lord Lieutenant of Ireland where, he had more tolerant ideas than his predecessor the Earl of Strafford. He was a generous sponsor of the Rockingham Works at Swinton.
John Wager Brameld
John was born in Swinton in 1797 and died in 1851.
He was a very good artist, and painted some of the Rockingham pieces including the scenes on the "Rhinoceros" vase. He was also the firm's traveller, and ran the London shop and warehouse.
Thomas Brameld
Thomas was born in Swinton in 1787 and died in 1850.
With his brothers he took over the Swinton Pottery from his father John Brameld. Thomas was most involved in the development of the porcelain wares of the firm. He hoped that this would save the family business.
John Creswell
John was born in 1801.
In 1826 he started work as a china painter at the Rockingham Works. He was one of the most notable artists employed by the firm.
George Collinson
George was born in 1787.
He was described as "the best flower-painter employed at the Swinton Works". He is the only earthenware painter at the Works for whom we have much information. In 1826 he rescued a boy from the canal at Wath.
Thomas Griffin
Thomas was born in 1797.
He was a foreman and figure modeller at Derby before he came to the Swinton Pottery. He worked on the series of European Peasant figures in the late 1820s. He also did work on the comports for the William IV dessert service.
Haigh Hirstwood
Haigh was born in 1774 and died in 1854.
He was a very good painter of flowers and insects at the Rockingham Pottery. In 1826 he copied over 500 insects which had been arranged by Lady Milton of Wentworth House.
Dinah Hodgson
She is described as an excellent painter in a letter from Thomas Brameld. The date of this letter is 1809 and refers to her starting work at the Swinton Pottery.
Joseph Mansfield
Joseph was born in 1803.
He came to the Rockingham Works in the 1820's and was "the principal embosser and chaser in gold".
George Speight
George was born in Swinton on 16th June 1808 and died in 1879.
He is one of the best-known Rockingham artists. There are a number of pieces signed by him, including a large tray with a copy of Van Dyck's Earl of Strafford dictating to his secretary.
Thomas Steel
Thomas was born in 1772 and died in 1850.
He worked in Staffordshire and Derby before he came to the Swinton Pottery. He was the famous fruit painter. There are pieces of Rockingham porcelain signed by him, including a fine tray of his on display in Clifton Park Museum.
Rhino (rhinoceros vase)
This was made in Swinton in 1826.
The rhino does not have a name. He or she is painted gold and sits on top of the biggest vase made at the Rockingham Pottery. You can see the vase in Clifton Park Museum.
Ebenezer Rhodes
Ebenezer was born in Masbrough in 1762 and died in 1839.
He was an author of books on the local area and wrote "Peak Scenery" and "Yorkshire Scenery". He was described as a "popular leader on almost every public question".
Thomas Warwick
Thomas was born in 1771 and died on 18th March 1852.
He was the Minister at Rotherham Chapel from 1793 - 1816. He trained as a medical doctor and he started the Infirmary which dispensed to the poor. He gave science lectures. In 1801 he set up a chemical works making textile dyes.
John Aldred
John was born in 1778 and died in 1862.
He partnered Dr Warwick in setting up a chemical works on Wellgate. It was one of the first establishments of its kind in the country. They made dyes, acids and wood spirits.
William Cowen
William was born in Rotherham on 18th June 1791 and died on 29th January 1864.
He was an important local landscape artist. Between 1822 and 1829 he lived on Wellgate. He was patronised by Earl Fitzwilliam who sent him to Europe to study.
Stubs Works
In 1832 this firm took over Messrs Joshua Walker's steel business. Ten years later this works was moved to the site of Holmes Hall. This gave them more room. It was the first local firm to set up next to the railway. This was important because their business was in Warrington.
James Yates
James was born in Masbrough on 22nd April 1798 and died on 3rd December 1881.
He started work with the Walkers. In 1823 he set up in partnership with Sandford. He started the Effingham Works in 1838, and later partnered George Haywood.
George Haywood
George was born in Rawmarsh in 1805 and died in 1893.
He worked as a designer and model maker in the stove grate industry of the town. With James Yates he managed what was reputed to be the largest works of its kind in Britain.
George Wright
George died in 1904.
He was apprenticed to George Haywood. He designed stove grates, and did much of the work for the Yates and Haywood show at the 1851 Great Exhibition. He went on to set up his own firms, lastly the Burton Weir Works in 1870.
William Oxley
William was born in Rotherham and died in 1842.
His Parkgate steel company with its Bull Dog trade mark dates back to the 1820s. They made a wide range of high class steel products.
Henry Gally Knight
Henry was born at Langold Hall on 2nd December 1786 and died on 9th February 1846.
He owned Firbeck Hall and was possibly Walter Scott's local source of information for his famous novel "Ivanhoe" which is set in this area. Published in 1819 it sold 12,000 copies of the expensive edition!
The Railway Industry
From early 19th century onwards Rotherham has been an important centre of railway component invention and manufacture. Typical of these products were things like tyres, rails, springs and couplings.
John Stephenson
John was born in Rotherham in 1794 and died on 8th July 1848.
He was an important railway contractor. He introduced scientific methods into earthwork construction and the excavation of deep cuttings. He contracted the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway.
Isaac Dodds
Isaac was born on 9th July 1801 and died on 1st November 1882.
He was a very important pioneering railway engineer and his talent for invention was highly respected. He was given the job of building the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway for which he designed the engine 'The Cutler'.
William Owen
William was born in Rotherham in 1809 and died in 1881.
"On every Indian railway and tramway, in Chile in Brazil, in the Argentine, in South Africa, in China and Japan will be found running the wheels and axles made at..." Owen's Patent Wheel Tyre & Axle Co Ltd.
Ebenezer Elliott
Ebenezer was born in Masbrough in 1781 and died in 1849.
He was a radical poet and industrialist and was most famous for being the 'Corn Law Rhymer'. He used his poetry to denounce social evils, especially the Corn Laws.
Isaac Ironside
Isaac was born in Masbrough in 1808 and died on 20th August 1870.
He was a friend of Ebenezer Elliott and was a radical Chartist, Owenite and universal suffragist. In 1839 he opened the first Owenite Hall of Science in Sheffield. He organised the drainage of Sheffield town centre.
Hewett Cottrell Watson
Hewett was born at Parkhill, Firbeck in 1804 and died in 1881.
A notable Botanist, he was ahead of his time and devised the Vice County mapping system for biological recording which is still used today.
Thomas Allport
Thomas was born in 1804 and died in 1879.
He came to Rotherham in 1834. He worked as a botanical artist on the William Roscoe's book 'Monandrian Plants' and is best known for his 19th century watercolours of Rotherham views.
John Guest
John was born in Rotherham in 1799 and died in 1880.
He was a highly respected industrialist, local politician, temperance campaigner and local historian. Most of the businesses in Rotherham closed so the workers and owners could attend his public funeral.
Guest & Chrimes Brass Works
1847 - 1999
Inventions such as the screw-down tap gave this internationally famous firm a monopoly of several water handling items like taps, pumps and meters.
Screw-down Tap
The screw-down tap was invented in 1847 in response to the developments in water supply and public health in the mid-19th century. These taps have continued to serve us in almost every home with a water supply.
Rose Heseltine
Rose was born in Rotherham in 1820 and died on 25th May 1917.
In 1842 she met Anthony Trollope whilst on holiday in Ireland. They married in 1844 in All Saints Parish Church. Trollope's biographer Victoria Glendinning agrees with J. Hawthorne that Trollope's "...wife was his books".
E.T. Craig
Mr Craig was born in Manchester on 4th August 1804 and died in 1894.
An Owenite Socialist and reformer, he was travelling lecturer for the Yorkshire Mechanics' Institutes. In 1853 he founded the Institute in Rotherham where he was later to be the Principal.
Ann Hinchliffe
In 1858 the first edition of the "Rotherham Advertiser" was issued by Ann Hinchliffe and Henry Hepworth. Ann also ran a newsagents in the town.
Llewellyn Jewitt
Llewellyn was born in Kimberworth on 24th November 1816 and died on 5th June 1886.
As an artist he was a skilful engraver and illustrator. His work appeared in "Punch". He wrote antiquarian books and edited a magazine. There is much local information in his book "Ceramic Art of Great Britain."
Orlando Jewitt
Orlando was born in Buxton in 1799 and died in 1869.
He moved to Kimberworth with his father and was an artist and engraver. He achieved national fame as an illustrator of architectural, and natural history books.
Edward Shearman
Edward was born in Wrington, Somerset around 1797 and died in 1878.
In 1853 he was the town's first Medical Officer of Health and was a pioneer in the use of the microscope in medicine. "He had thoroughly opened the eyes of people to the insanitary conditions of the town."
Thomas Weatherburn Dodds
Thomas was born on 2nd May 1826 and died on 6th September 1899.
He was the son of Isaac Dodds. In 1853 he patented a method of making steel which gave a 50% saving in fuel. He also patented steeled rails which lasted 3 times longer than iron ones.
Jarvis Harris
Jarvis was possibly born in Kimberworth around 1820 and he died in 1892.
He ran a foundry in Kimberworth, which he lighted by natural gas from local coal pits. This works went on to produce heavy castings required for iron plate and railways. He was one of the first councillors of the town in 1871.
J. M. Habershon
Mr Habershon was born in Rotherham in 1824 and died in 1894.
In November 1871 he was elected the town's first Mayor. Habershon's was a steel rolling works at the Holmes and was another firm based on the foundations laid by the Walkers.
George Wilton Chambers
George was born in London in 1812 and died in September 1904.
He came to Rotherham to manage his father's interest in a local colliery on Wortley Road. He was the first director of the Sheffield to Rotherham Railway, as well as having shares in other local firms.
Nelson
Nelson was born around 1847 and died in 1872.
He was a Cape Lion of South Africa and was part of a travelling menagerie. In 1862 he was bought by Mr Jamrach, a wild beast dealer of London. He then became part of the Zoological Society's collection. He could be seen on display in Regent's Park until he died.
A. H. Dyke Acland
He was born at Holmcote near Porlock on 13th October 1847 and died in 1926.
In 1885 he was elected first MP for the Rotherham Division. He campaigned for raising the school leaving age, and against payment by results. Later he was interested in the Labour Party and the Co-operative Movement.
Herbert Austin
Herbert was born in Buckinghamshire in 1866 and died in 1941.
This famous car manufacturer lived at The Saxon House, Clayfields, Wentworth and was educated at Rotherham Grammar School.
Alfred Bryant
Alfred was born in the Forest of Dean, Gloucester on 12th January 1846 and died on 6th June 1910.
He was 17 when he came to Rotherham. He worked for John Brown's at Car House, Aldwarke and Rotherham Main. He was the first "Labour man" elected to the council and became an alderman in 1904.
Hayden Sanders
In 1890 striking stove-grate workers asked him in to Rotherham to help them organise. After the successful strike he agreed to organise what became the National Union of Stove Grate, Fender and General Light Metal Workers.
Willie Wright
During the 1893 coal war he was known as the "Peacemaker of Wath". He was victimised for his part in that struggle, and left the area to champion the cause of Welsh miners.
Arthur Wharton
Arthur was born in Accra in Ghana in 1865 and died in 1930.
He was one of the world's greatest athletes and Britain's first black professional footballer. In the 1890's he played in goal for Rotherham. He was the first man to run 100 yards in 10 seconds. He was also a good cyclist and cricketer.
Samuel Millward
Samuel died on 28th June 1912.
For 25 years he was branch secretary of the National Amalgamated Society of Brassworkers and was the first working man in Rotherham to become a magistrate.