When and where was Benjamin Huntsman born?
Benjamin Huntsman was born on the 4th of June 1704 in Epworth, Lincolnshire. He was the fourth child of William and Mary Huntsman, a farming couple who identified as Quakers.
Questions about Benjamin Huntsman
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What method did Benjamin Huntsman develop for steel manufacture?
Benjamin Huntsman developed a method using clay pot crucibles that held about one pound of blistered steel each. Workers heated the sealed containers using coke furnaces for approximately three hours to produce molten steel poured into moulds.
Why did local cutlery manufacturers in Sheffield initially refuse to purchase Benjamin Huntsman's steel?
Local cutlery manufacturers in Sheffield refused to purchase the new material initially because they found it harder than the German steel they had used for years. This resistance forced Benjamin Huntsman to export his entire output to France instead until competition from imported French cutlery alarmed them.
How did Walker discover the secret process of Benjamin Huntsman?
According to legend, a Sheffield iron-founder named Walker entered Benjamin Huntsman's works disguised as a starving beggar. He asked permission to sleep by a fire for the night which allowed him to observe the heating process inside the furnace.
When did Benjamin Huntsman die and where is he buried?
Benjamin Huntsman died on the 20th of June 1776 after moving his enterprise to Worksop Road in Attercliffe Common in 1770. A commemorative tomb marks his resting place in the Hilltop Cemetery at Attercliffe Common.