At 15:39 24/12/2010, Ian Spensley wrote:
>I know this is a long shot, but I wonder if anyone has come across Roberte
>Heathe of Leke in Staffordshire ca.1579, or thoughts about the spread of
>smelting technology to the north.
>
>He was killed while getting slates from a quarry at West Witton in
>Wensleydale for a smelting mill.
Yes, an interesting link with the introduction of the ore-hearth
process into Derbyshire and then on to Wensleydale.
Robert Heath of Leek was cited in a bill of complaint dated 11
February 1579 by William Humfrey that he and others infringed
Humfrey's patent for the water powered smelting of lead. See Kiernan,
Derbyshire Lead Industry (1989), 164-91.
Peter
Dr Peter Claughton,
Blaenpant Morfil, nr. Rosebush, Clynderwen, Pembrokeshire, Wales SA66 7RE.
Tel. +44 (0)1437 532578; Fax. +44 (0)1437 532921; Mobile +44 (0)7831 427599
Hon. University Fellow - College of Humanities, University of Exeter
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