Crops up in Metallum Martis, Dud Dudley 1665
The passage is:
Now let me without offence insert the opposition we all had, by means of
powerfull Iron-Masters, with Sir Philibeard Vernat, a Dutch Man, and Captain
Whitmore, who pretended much unto his late Sacred Majesty, but performed not
their undertaking, which caused the Author, and his Partners thus to
Petition.
To the King's Most Excellent Majesty
The Humble Petition of Sir George Horsey Knight; David Ramsey, Roger Foulke,
and Dud Dudley, Esquires:
Humbly Sheweth,
That whereas Your Petitioners being called before the Right Honourable, the
Lord Keeper by your Majesties Appointment, touching the making of Iron with
Pit-cole, Sea-cole, Peat, and Turf, for which they have Your Majesties
Pattent; and seeing that Sir Philibeard Vernat, and Captain Whitmore, who
are not Inventors, have obtained a Pattent also for the same; yet before
their Pattent Granted, Sir Philibeard was ordered at Council-board,
according to his Great Undertaking, to perfect his Great Undertaking and
Invention within Two yeas, and there hath been near Three Years passed, and
yet have made little or no Iron: still he Opposeth Your Petitioners, and
doth neither benefit himself, but hinders Your Majesty, and the Kingdom.
The reference unto the Petition followeth; At the Court at Greenwich, May
20, 1638. His Majesty is pleased to refer this Petition to Master Atturney,
and Master Solicitor General, to call the Petitioners before them, and to
compose the differences between them; (if they can) or otherwise, to
certifie his Majesty their opinions therein: Sir Sidney Mountegue was then
Master of the Requests.
But Sir Philibeard Vernat and Captain Whitmore never appeared any more for
their Invention.
Hope that helps
Ian
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of POYNERDR
Sent: 29 September 2000 14:38
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Thomas Whitmore
I wonder if anyone has come across references to a Captain Thomas
Whitmore from the 17th Century?. In 1637 he took out two patents,
one (jointly with a Filibert Vernatt) for the production of iron
using coal and another for converting iron into copper wire (!). He
and Vernatt struck a deal with Charles 1 to supply the crown with
their iron and they were interested in using abandoned iron works in
the Forest of Dean for its production. Also in 1637 Whitmore tried to
get a lease of abandoned copper mines in Cumberland.
I have picked up a couple of references to Whitmore in Rees, Industry
before the Industrial Revolution, and there are also references to
him in the published catalogues of State papers (still going through
these). I am particularly interested in finding out if he was the
same man as Thomas Whitmore of Apley, Shropshire, 1612-1653(?). I
would be interested in any information.
Thanks
David Poyner
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