Abstract
THROUGH the publication of his little work “Met-tallum Martis”, 1665, Dud Dudley, 1599-1684, a son of Edward Sutton, Lord Dudley, has long enjoyed a reputation as being a pioneer in the use of coal, instead of charcoal, as a fuel for smelting iron. Most early writers on industrial history accepted Dudley's writings at their face value without inquiring into their correctness. A proposal made some years ago to erect a monument to him at Dudley, however, led to a closer scrutiny of what he had written and the state of the iron industry at the time, with the result that many of his assertions have been found impossible of belief, and many of his claims to our admiration as an outstanding pioneer have to be rejected. A review of the whole question was given by Mr. R. A. Mott on November 21 in a paper read to the Newcomen Society at the Iron and Steel Institute, and in the subsequent discussion Mr. Mott's views found general acceptance. Dudley lived in stirring times and had many adventures, but his work as an iron master was done when he was a young man. That he did make iron there seems no need to question, but that he produced good quality iron with the use of coal has to be rejected. Mr, Mott's view is that, as a historian, Dudley's veracity has to be questioned, while as a man he was an opportunist, vain and boastful. A consideration of the technical basis of his claims shows that they were impossible of achievement. The Transactions of the Newcomen Society contain several valuable papers on the history of the iron industry and these, with that of Mr. Mott, should be studied by all interested in this phase of industrial history.
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Dud Dudley and the Coal-Iron Industry. Nature 134, 842 (1934). https://doi.org/10.1038/134842b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/134842b0