Barrow Hematite Steel Company

Barrow Hematite Steel Company Limited

Company type	Private company (historical)
Industry	Iron and steel manufacturing
Predecessor	Schneider Hannay & Co.
Founded	1859 (1859)
Founder	Henry Schneider (implied)
Defunct	1963 (1963)
Fate	Incorporated into British Steel Corporation
Successor	Barrow Ironworks Limited, British Steel Corporation
Headquarters	Barrow-in-Furness , England, United Kingdom
Area served	Worldwide (steel exports for railway infrastructure and shipbuilding)
Key people	Sir James Ramsden (Managing Director), Josiah T. Smith (General Manager)
Products	Steel rails, steel for shipbuilding
Parent	British Steel Corporation (after mid-1960s)

The Barrow Hematite Steel Company Limited was a prominent iron and steel manufacturer situated in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire (present-day Cumbria), England, operating from 1859 until 1963. At the dawn of the 20th century during the Technological Revolution, it managed what was then the world’s largest steel mill.

History

Iron explorer Henry Schneider arrived in Furness in 1839 and, together with financial backers, established the Furness Railway in 1846 to facilitate transport of iron ore and slate from nearby mines to the coast. The discovery of vast hematite reserves in 1850 paved the way for the creation of smelting operations and steel export facilities. Founded as Schneider Hannay & Co. in 1859, the company was renamed Barrow Hematite Steel Company in 1865. It was officially incorporated on 1 April 1864, with Sir James Ramsden appointed Managing Director and Josiah T. Smith as General Manager. By 1866, the Hindpool iron and steelworks had grown to encompass ten blast furnaces and eighteen 5-ton Bessemer converters, divided by the Furness Railway line.

During World War II, the steelworks continued production alongside a thriving shipyard, both becoming significant targets during the Blitz. After the war, Barrow pioneered advancements in 'continuous casting' steel production techniques. The company retained its Barrow Hematite Steel identity until 1947 before transitioning to Barrow Ironworks Limited. In the mid-1960s, it was incorporated into the British Steel Corporation. Operations at the site ended in 1963 following depletion of local hematite resources, concluding over a century of iron and steel manufacturing in Barrow. However, Barrow Steelworks Ltd persisted until its final shutdown in the 1980s.

While exporting steel worldwide for major railway infrastructure projects, Barrow’s steel also played a vital role in supporting local shipbuilding activities. Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (currently part of BAE Systems) remains among the United Kingdom’s largest shipyards and is uniquely responsible for constructing all Royal Navy submarines.

Legacy

Throughout the 20th century, steel produced at these works was heavily utilized by VSEL to construct hundreds of ships, many contributing significantly to British military efforts during both World War I and World War II. The company’s hallmark product was steel rails supplied to rail networks across Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Rhodesia, South Africa, South America, and the United States.

Today, only the main entrance arch remains from the original complex; it was relocated on-site in 1987 and currently serves as a Stagecoach Buses facility. The former site now accommodates industrial estates alongside the campus of Furness College. A prominent industrial relic is Barrow’s 'Slag bank,' a century-old slag heap near Walney Channel formed from iron and steel production waste. Since the 1990s, efforts have been made to rehabilitate this contaminated area by covering it with soil.

Barrow is home to three sculptures honoring its iron and steel heritage, including a large book-shaped monument on Duke Street that narrates the history of the works. Additionally, two statues depicting steelworkers are positioned along Dalton Road and at 'Red Man's Way,' a coastal walkway adjacent to Walney Channel.

See also

• Barrow-in-Furness Historical Overview
• Barrow Jute Works
• Barrow Colliery