Draft:Thomas Corbett

Thomas Corbett (1843 – 14 July 1917) was a prominent Shropshire ironmaster, agricultural engineer, and inventor. He was best known for his contributions to agricultural machinery design and for his role in the development of the Perseverance Ironworks in Shrewsbury. Corbett's machines, particularly his ploughs and cheese presses, gained widespread recognition in agricultural shows across the UK, and his business expanded to international markets.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Corbett was born in Wellington, Shropshire, the son of Samuel Corbett, a blacksmith and tinsmith, and Elizabeth Corbett (née Wycherley). His father, Samuel, began producing and selling ploughs in the 1840s. Together with Thomas’s elder brother, William, Samuel expanded the family business, developing a wide range of agricultural machinery and equipment, rising from a small-town blacksmith to nationally renowned engineers. They eventually established the Park Street Works in Wellington.

Career

At the age of 20, Thomas became an agent for Samuelson of Banbury’s reaping machines in Shrewsbury. In around 1864, he founded his own ironworks on Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury, entering direct competition with his father and brother. Despite the rivalry, Samuel supported his son's venture, attending the first anniversary celebration of Thomas's ironworks, where he expressed pride in his son's success and confidence in his abilities.

Thomas Corbett married Lucy Deakin at St Mary’s Church, Shrewsbury, on 30 January 1866. The wedding bells rang as they left the church, and Thomas's workmen presented him with a framed address of high esteem. Their wedding reception was held at Lucy's parents' house on Wyle Cop.

Initially, Corbett collaborated with implement seller Richard Chipchase of Albert Street and Castle Foregate in Shrewsbury, a partnership that lasted until 1877. He later worked with Arthur John Peele until 1881, after which Thomas became the sole proprietor of the business. In 1884, he expanded the Perseverance Ironworks, solidifying his reputation as a major figure in agricultural engineering. By this time, the Corbett firms in both Shrewsbury and Wellington were producing thousands of agricultural implements each year, marked with the Corbett family name.

Innovations and Achievements

Corbett's designs, including winnowers, ploughs, and cheese presses, earned significant recognition, and his machines frequently won prizes at agricultural shows. Between 1865 and 1897, Corbett claimed to have won over 750 'Royal Prizes.' His success extended beyond the UK, with his machines being advertised in international markets, including in the "Colonies and India" newspaper. Corbett undertook a world tour in 1882-83 to explore the Australasian markets and adapted many of his machines for the conditions in the region. His machinery was used as far afield as Tasmania, South Africa, America, and Canada.

Corbett’s machines won numerous prizes in local and national competitions, with his 'Eclipse' winnowing machine winning 150 first prizes, and his 'Excelsior' plough winning 300. His success in marketing and branding was equally remarkable, with his machines bearing names like 'Excelsior,' 'Defiance,' and 'Champion.'

Public Service and Later Life

In addition to his business pursuits, Corbett was deeply involved in public service. He played a key role in founding the Shropshire and West Midland Agricultural Society, serving as honorary secretary and later as vice-president. In 1892, he was appointed Justice of the Peace for Shrewsbury, followed by an appointment for the County of Shropshire in 1895. He also served as a County Councillor and trustee of the Borough Charities.

Corbett was known for his strong Christian faith and served as a deacon at Abbey Foregate Congregational Church. He supported various philanthropic causes, including the Shropshire Infirmary. During the South African War, his two sons served at the front, and Corbett later visited the battlefields, praising the "Guild of Loyal Women" for their work in maintaining soldiers’ graves.

In 1905, a fire at the Perseverance Ironworks caused extensive damage. While inspecting the ruins, Corbett narrowly escaped injury when a wall collapsed. Despite the setback, he rebuilt the factory, continuing to pay his workers during the reconstruction. In recognition of his contributions to Shrewsbury, Corbett was unanimously elected Mayor in 1906, where he worked on improving the lives of the town’s poor, supporting early school attendance, and leading the town's first slum-clearance programme.

In the 1911 census, Thomas was recorded as living at Cotonhurst, a large Georgian house in Coton Hill, Shrewsbury, with his wife Lucy and their children.

Death and Legacy

Thomas Corbett died suddenly at his home, Cotonhurst, on 14 July 1917, at the age of 74. His death was widely reported in the local press. After his death, the Perseverance Ironworks continued under his executors but was eventually closed in 1929. Morris Lubricants later took over the premises, and the building still bears the inscription "Speed the Plough."

In 2021, Teifi Cheese, a Ceredigion cheese company, restored two of Corbett’s cheese presses for use in their production, preserving his legacy in agricultural engineering.

References

• Chester Chronicle, 14 July 1917, "Death of Alderman Thomas Corbett."
• Shrewsbury Chronicle, various editions.
• "The Ironmonger," Shrewsbury Royal Show Reports, 1914
• Grace's Guide To British Industrial History
• The Corbetts are ‘victorious over all’: agricultural implement making in Shropshire, c.1860 to 1914* by Tamsin Bapty
• Shropshire Heritage Gateway
• Britain from Above - Perseverance Works from above
• Implements Manufactured by Thomas Corbett
• Mr Thomas Corbett, Honorary Secretary of the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society
• Mayors of Shrewsbury - Shrewsbury Town Council
• Shrewsbury Local History Memory Corner