Samuel Homfray

Samuel Homfray (1762 - 22 May 1822), was an English industrialist during the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain, associated with the early iron industry in South Wales.

Samuel was the second son of a successful ironmaster, Francis Homfray, and the brother of Jeremiah Homfray. With his two brothers, Jeremiah and Thomas, he began the Penydarren ironworks during the 1780s. In 1784 they transferred their lease from Anthony Bacon (with whom they had quarrelled) to David Tanner, and set up the works on the banks of the River Morlais, building a mansion, Penydarren House, close by.

After years of fierce competition with the Dowlais ironworks, they began to prosper. Samuel took over as proprietor of the Penydarren works, while Jeremiah moved to Ebbw Vale. In 1795 the Glamorganshire Canal opened, making transport of iron easier, and in 1804 won a wager with Richard Crawshay as to which of them could first build a steam locomotive for use in their works. Homfray employed Richard Trevithick for this purpose.

In 1800, Samuel married Jane Morgan, daughter of Sir Charles Gould Morgan, 1st Baronet, Baron Tredegar, of Tredegar House, and thus obtained a favorable lease of mineral land at Tredegar, where he established another ironworks. In 1818, he became Member of Parliament for Stafford town.

ources

* [http://wbo.llgc.org.uk/en/s-HOMF-RAY-1726.html Welsh Biography Online]