In 1763 John Guest and
Isaac Wilkinson started the Plymouth
Works, on land leased from the Earl of Plymouth, they failed to make it a success, and sold it two years later, to Anthony Bacon,
this was about the same time as Bacon built his first furnace at
Cyfarthfa. Richard Hill (Bacon's brother-in- law) was
appointed manager of the works. Following Bacon's death in 1786,
the works were left to his son's,
who then sold it to Richard Hill. The works prospered under Hill's
management, the metal produced at Plymouth was considered to be
the finest in South Wales. on the death of Richard in 1818, His
son Anthony Hill took control of the works. The Bessemer process
for converting Pig-Iron into Steel, was first partially developed
by Anthony Hill. He died in 1862, and the company was taken over
by Messrs. Fothergill, Hankey, and Bateman. This partnership
allowed the company to rundown for various reasons, which led to
it's closure in 1882 |