page_title: Scunthorpe Steelworks
section_title: Establishment of iron ore extraction and smelting (1859–1912)
hierarchical_section_title: Scunthorpe Steelworks / History / Establishment of iron ore extraction and smelting (1859–1912)
caption_attribution_description: English: Drawn map of ironworks/ iron ore extraction in the Scunthorpe area c.1875 from Daglish, J.; Howse, R. (1875), “Some Remarks on the Beds of Ironstone Occurring in Lincolnshire”, in Transactions of the North of England Institute of Mining Engineers[1], volume 24 (1874-75), pages 23 -
context_page_description: The Iron and Steel Industry in Scunthorpe was established in the mid 19th century, following the discovery and exploitation of middle Lias ironstone east of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.
  Initially iron ore was exported to iron producers in South Yorkshire. Later, after the construction of the Trent, Ancholme and Grimsby Railway gave rail access to the area local iron production rapidly expanded using local ironstone and imported coal or coke. The local ore was relatively poor in iron and high in lime requiring co-smelting with more acidic silicious iron ores. The growth of industry in the area led to the development of the town of Scunthorpe in a formerly sparsely populated entirely agricultural area.
  From the early 1910s to the 1930s the industry consolidated, with three main ownership concerns formed – the Appleby-Frodingham Steel Company, part of the United Steel Companies; the Redbourn Iron Works, part of Richard Thomas and Company of South Wales; and John Lysaght's Normanby works, part of Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds.
context_section_description: Roland Winn is credited with (re-)discovering the iron ore in the area, and having it analysed and promoting its use. He suspected that the geology on his estate resembled the Cleveland ironstone which had been discovered and exploited in northern Yorkshire (see Middlesbrough). Initially ore was extracted and exported from leases on his estate, and transported by horse power to the River Trent and onwards by canal. Iron ore began to be commercially exploited in the area from 1859. A narrow gauge railway was opened c. 1861 to Gunness.
  Winn then was instrumental in the promotion of a line to the ore fields, and with the support of the  Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MSLR) and the South Yorkshire Railway (SYR) as equal third partners; an act of parliament for a new main line, the Trent, Ancholme and Grimsby Railway was obtained in 1861. The new line connected with the SYR via a bridge over the River Trent at Keadby to the west, giving access to the South Yorkshire coalfield; and to the MSLR in the east at Barnetby. The line was fully opened by 1866, and enable rapid expansion of the iron business around Scunthorpe. A 0.25 miles (0.40 km) branch to further iron ore deposits near Santon was authorised and opened 1872/3.
  W.H. and G. Dawes (Elsecar) were the first to utilise the ore which was tested at blast furnaces at Barnsley, transported there by water. In 1862 the Dawes began to build the first blast furnace in the area, which became operational in 1864, operating as the Trent Iron Company. The Frodingham Iron Company also opened in 1864, established by Joseph Cliff, a firebrick manufacturer from Wortley, Leeds who used experienced iron makers from Stockton-upon-Tees to establish the business. Both produced iron from their own local ironstone leases.
  North Lincolnshire Iron Works, was established by Daniel Adamson of Hyde, Manchester in 1866, supported by Lancashire capitalists; the business was supplied with ore from Winn's own mines. Over the next decade three more works were established: the Redbourn Hill Company, and the Lincolnshire Iron Smelting Company were supported by capital from Birmingham; the Appleby Iron works was established with capital from Scotland. All six iron works were located adjacent to the ore workings, with the low iron content of the ore favouring local working rather than transportation to external sites.
  By 1875 there were 13 blast furnaces in operation, with others under construction. Coke (or coal) was used, supplied from the Durham coalfield or the South Yorkshire coalfield. Initially the high lime content of the ore (up to 68%) caused production issues, through the amount and form of the slag produced, and its basic nature, its corrosive effect on the refractories in the furnace, as well as the large amount of water content in the ore, and carbon dioxide release tending to damp the fire in the furnace. The primary solution to the basic ore was to co-fire with an imported silica containing ore.
  Iron ore production reached 248,329 tons, and iron production 31,000 tons by 1870, both rapid increases. In addition to local blast furnaces the ore was supplied to the Milton ironworks (Barnsley), Elsecar ironworks (Barnsley), the West Yorkshire Coal and Iron Company (West Ardsley), and the Park Gate Iron Company (Rotherham). By 1875 several businesses were extracting iron ore in the area including Cliff and Sons (Frodingham); the Kiveton Park Company; W.H. and G. Dawes;  Cliff and Sons (Leeds); the Park Gate Iron Company (Frodingham); and Charles Winn.
  Appleby Ironworks was established in 1875. By the 1880s the iron making district consisted of separate villages at Crosby, Scunthorpe, Frodingham and New Frodingham, with the iron ore fields and irons works to the east, in an otherwise essentially rural landscape consisting of enclosed fields and coppices. With the exception of housing built at New Frodingham and New Brumby to the south most of the housing expansion associated with the growth of the industry took place around the former village of Scunthorpe – by the beginning of the 
caption: Ironstone working and production c. 1865 (NEIMME Transactions, v.24, 1875)
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