Clement Clerke
Sir Clement Clerke died in 1693, leaving behind a legacy of industrial innovation despite his personal financial ruin. He was the third son of George Clerke of Willoughby in Warwickshire. The Restoration brought him a title shortly after that political shift occurred. His marriage to Sarah Talbot connected him to significant estates including Rudge in Shropshire and Launde Abbey in Leicestershire. In 1657 he purchased Launde Abbey for himself and his wife. They also held an estate at Notgrove in Gloucestershire. This background provided the capital needed for his later ventures into metallurgy.
In the early 1670s Sir Clement joined others to sponsor Dud Dudley. They built a furnace at Dudley to smelt iron using mixed fuel from wood and coal. Men and horses powered this unique operation. By 1674 only Sir Clement and John Finch remained as partners. Competition with Philip Foley damaged both their interests. They entered a restrictive agreement on where they would buy wood. A few months later John Finch sold all works to Alderman John Foorth and Sir Clement Clerke. They bought wood in the Forest of Dean but had to build their own furnace at Linton in Herefordshire. Further partners included Dannett Foorth and George Skippe of Ledbury. Sir Clement borrowed money from moneylenders on the security of his share. This breach led Dannett Foorth to have him arrested for debt. George Skippe bailed him out. The partnership dissolved after selling the ironworks in 1676.
Lord Grandison financed Samuel Hutchinson who held a patent for smelting lead with pitcoal. That effort failed. Grandison then approached Sir Clement. Grandison and Robert Thorowgood provided capital in 1678. They set up lead works with Francis Nicholson as Grandison's dependent. Sir Clement went to Bristol and built cupolas known as reverberatory furnaces. When he returned for more capital he found Nicholson had taken it to Derbyshire and lost it. In 1683 an agreement placed business under Sir Clement's son Talbot. He was not yet twenty-one so a trustee managed operations. The business proved
profitable. Lord Grandison and Hon. Henry Howard demanded repayment of money they claimed Sir Clement owed them. Gravely Claypoole was appointed by the court to run the works for Grandison during litigation. The case resolved in Talbot's favour. Another venture produced white lead but failed. Money came from mortgaging Launde Abbey to repay Edward Fitzgerald Villiers.
In 1687 while the lead cupola left their possession Sir Clement and Talbot built a reverberatory furnace at Putney. They smelted copper there. A patent covered this process in 1688. This led to establishing a copper smelting works near the banks of the River Wye at Redbrook. They also chartered the English Copper Company. After litigation concluded the cupola near Bristol reverted to Talbot Clerke. The Company for Smelting down Lead with Pitcoal later became the London Lead Company. It ran unsuccessfully before returning to Talbot who held the title Sir Talbot by 1695.
A work for remelting and casting old iron with sea coal stood at Fox Hall under Sir Clement's direction. This air furnace was the first reverberatory furnace built for iron foundry purposes. It formed the basis for the Company for Making Iron with Pitcoal. Thomas Fox served as founder during its few years of operation. Until the late eighteenth century introduced the foundry cupola his air furnace remained the normal way of remelting pig for foundry purposes. The cupola long stayed in use for smelted copper and lead. Robert Lyddall applied it to tin.
Sir Clement guided these developments though he did not personally benefit financially. His sons likely profited from his innovations. He died in debt in 1693. His baronetcy passed to Talbot along with Launde Abbey which escaped debt due to marriage settlement terms.
Common questions
When did Sir Clement Clerke die and what was his financial status at death?
Sir Clement Clerke died in 1693 while leaving behind significant debt. His baronetcy passed to his son Talbot along with Launde Abbey which escaped debt due to marriage settlement terms.
What industrial innovations did Sir Clement Clerke develop during the 1670s and 1680s?
Sir Clement Clerke built cupolas known as reverberatory furnaces for smelting lead and copper. He established a work for remelting old iron with sea coal at Fox Hall that served as the first reverberatory furnace for iron foundry purposes.
Who were the key partners involved in Sir Clement Clerke's metallurgical ventures?
Key partners included Dud Dudley, John Finch, Dannett Foorth, George Skippe, Lord Grandison, Robert Thorowgood, and Francis Nicholson. Thomas Fox served as founder of the air furnace operation under Sir Clement Clerke direction.
Where did Sir Clement Clerke establish his major smelting works and when?
Sir Clement Clerke built a reverberatory furnace at Putney in 1687 where they smelted copper. They also established a copper smelting works near the banks of the River Wye at Redbrook after obtaining a patent covering this process in 1688.
How did the partnership between Sir Clement Clerke and John Finch end and what legal consequences followed?
The partnership dissolved after selling the ironworks in 1676 following financial disputes. Sir Clement Clerke borrowed money from moneylenders on the security of his share which led Dannett Foorth to have him arrested for debt before George Skippe bailed him out.