Moses Ironmonger (25November 1887) was a successful rope manufacturer who, although an orphan from humble beginnings, twice became

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Wolverhampton Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunian ...

(1857–58 and 1868–69).

Ironmonger & Co Ltd.

Ironmonger built up a very successful business manufacturing

rope A rope is a group of yarns, plies, fibres, or strands that are twisted or braided together into a larger and stronger form. Ropes have tensile strength and so can be used for dragging and lifting. Rope is thicker and stronger than similarly ...

, first at Cock Street then a larger site at Gt Brickkiln Street, now the Baynell Building. Ironmonger & Co Ltd. carried on for two further

generations A generation is "all of the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively." Generation or generations may also refer to: Science and technology * Generation (particle physics), a division of the elementary particles * Gen ...

until it finally went into

liquidation Liquidation is the process in accounting by which a company is brought to an end in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and many other countries. The assets and property of the company are redistrib ...

in 1902.

Provincial telephone pioneer

He was a friend of the inventor of the telephone,

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (, born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He also co-founded the American Telephone and Te ...

, and in 1880 the first telephone line in Wolverhampton was laid between Ironmonger's factory and the company's offices, a mile away, barely four years after Bell's demonstration of clear speech on a telephone transmission.

Politics

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

supporter, Ironmonger was appointed

Chief Magistrate Chief magistrate is a public official, executive or judicial, whose office is the highest in its class. Historically, the two different meanings of magistrate have often overlapped and refer to, as the case may be, to a major political and admini ...

in 1857, served as a governor for the

Wolverhampton Grammar School Wolverhampton Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Wolverhampton, England. History Initially a grammar school for boys, WGS was founded in 1512 by Sir Stephen Jenyns, a master of the ancient guild of Merchant Taylors, who ...

and president of the Wolverhampton

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ad ...

. He twice served as Mayor of Wolverhampton, 1857–1858 and 1868–1869.

Parish Church of St John the Evangelist

Ironmonger was a leading member of the Parish Church of St John the Evangelist. He presented a stained glass window by

Ward and Hughes Ward and Hughes (formerly Ward and Nixon) was the name of an English company producing stained-glass windows. History Ward and Hughes was proceeded by the company Ward and Nixon, whose studio was at 67 Frith Street, Soho. They created large windo ...

of London, in 1882. He also paid for the encaustic tiling around the font.

Family

Ironmonger was born in London, England, and orphaned at 18 years of age, when his father, ropemaker Aaron Ironmonger, died in 1827. He married Mary Ann, ''née'' Perry, in 1832 in Wolverhampton, and they had two sons before she died in 1835. He married Elizabeth ''née'' Bosworth in 1841, also in Wolverhampton, and lived at the business in Cock Street, now Victoria Street.England Census, Staffordshire, Wolverhampton. The National Archives, 1841 They had two daughters. He died in Graisley, Wolverhampton, in 1887, after a long illness.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ironmonger, Moses 1800s births 1887 deaths Mayors of Wolverhampton Communications in the United Kingdom People from Wolverhampton English industrialists 19th-century English businesspeople