George Pearce Baldwin
Encyclopedia
George Pearce Baldwin came from Broseley
in Shropshire
and moved to Worcestershire
at the start of the 19th Century, becoming an iron founder
at Stourport-on-Severn
. He was the son of Thomas Baldwin and Mary Gough.
He had 12 children, the youngest of whom, Alfred, father of the future prime minister Stanley Baldwin
, was born in 1841, the year after George died.
He was married to Anne Hill on 16 April 1812; together they had two children: Pearce Baldwin (born 20 July 1813; died 6 April 1861) and William Hill Baldwin (born 8 March 1817, died 11 May 1863). He then married Sarah Chalkey Stanley, daughter of Reverend Jacob Stanley, on 4 October 1822. His children by his second wife were: George Baldwin (born 8 April 1824, died 17 October 1824); a second George Baldwin (born 16 March 1826, died 5 March 1881); Stanley Baldwin (born 4 February 1828, died 21 September 1907); Sarah Anne Baldwin (born 19 April 1830, died 15 December 1919); Edward Baldwin (born 26 May 1832, died 26 April 1848); Mary Jane Baldwin (born 16 January 1834, died 18 January 1908); Lucilla Baldwin (born 16 March 1836, died November 1916); Eliza Baldwin (born 2 September 1837, died July 1914); as well as the aforementioned Alfred Baldwin.
After George Pearce Baldwin's death, his sons Pearce and William took over the Wilden Ironworks
in 1849 with their uncle, Enoch Baldwin. This ironworks
incorporated Wilden Forge
(which had been built in 1647 by Thomas Foley (1616-1677)
. It had usually been operated by (or for) members of the Foley until 1776, and after that by various tenants (see Wilden Ironworks
for details). The Wilden Works were taken over in 1870 by the youngest half-brother of Pearce and William, Alfred. It became the basis for the subsequent fortune of the Baldwin family.
Broseley
Broseley is a small town in Shropshire, England with a population of 4,912 . The River Severn flows to the north and east of the town. Broseley has a town council and is part of the area controlled by Shropshire Council. The first iron bridge in the world was built in 1779 to link Broseley with...
in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
and moved to Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
at the start of the 19th Century, becoming an iron founder
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
at Stourport-on-Severn
Stourport-on-Severn
Stourport-on-Severn, often shortened to Stourport, is a town and civil parish in the Wyre Forest District of North Worcestershire, England, a few miles to the south of Kidderminster and down stream on the River Severn from Bewdley...
. He was the son of Thomas Baldwin and Mary Gough.
He had 12 children, the youngest of whom, Alfred, father of the future prime minister Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
, was born in 1841, the year after George died.
He was married to Anne Hill on 16 April 1812; together they had two children: Pearce Baldwin (born 20 July 1813; died 6 April 1861) and William Hill Baldwin (born 8 March 1817, died 11 May 1863). He then married Sarah Chalkey Stanley, daughter of Reverend Jacob Stanley, on 4 October 1822. His children by his second wife were: George Baldwin (born 8 April 1824, died 17 October 1824); a second George Baldwin (born 16 March 1826, died 5 March 1881); Stanley Baldwin (born 4 February 1828, died 21 September 1907); Sarah Anne Baldwin (born 19 April 1830, died 15 December 1919); Edward Baldwin (born 26 May 1832, died 26 April 1848); Mary Jane Baldwin (born 16 January 1834, died 18 January 1908); Lucilla Baldwin (born 16 March 1836, died November 1916); Eliza Baldwin (born 2 September 1837, died July 1914); as well as the aforementioned Alfred Baldwin.
After George Pearce Baldwin's death, his sons Pearce and William took over the Wilden Ironworks
Wilden Ironworks
The village of Wilden is in the English county of Worcestershire. It was for many years the location of an ironworks.-Wilden Mill:Wilden was part of the demesne of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Hartlebury. A mill was built on the River Stour in 1511 by William Baylly, a fuller...
in 1849 with their uncle, Enoch Baldwin. This ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
incorporated Wilden Forge
Finery forge
Iron tapped from the blast furnace is pig iron, and contains significant amounts of carbon and silicon. To produce malleable wrought iron, it needs to undergo a further process. In the early modern period, this was carried out in a finery forge....
(which had been built in 1647 by Thomas Foley (1616-1677)
Thomas Foley (1616-1677)
Thomas Foley was the eldest son of the second marriage of Richard Foley , a prominent Midlands ironmaster. He took over his father's business and made great profits from it in the 1650s and 1660s, which he used to buy estates. He then handed his business over to his sons, another Thomas Foley,...
. It had usually been operated by (or for) members of the Foley until 1776, and after that by various tenants (see Wilden Ironworks
Wilden Ironworks
The village of Wilden is in the English county of Worcestershire. It was for many years the location of an ironworks.-Wilden Mill:Wilden was part of the demesne of the Bishop of Worcester's manor of Hartlebury. A mill was built on the River Stour in 1511 by William Baylly, a fuller...
for details). The Wilden Works were taken over in 1870 by the youngest half-brother of Pearce and William, Alfred. It became the basis for the subsequent fortune of the Baldwin family.