Berrow's Worcester Journal 13 Jan 1781
"GLOUCESTERSHIRE IRON MANUFACTORY"
'To be Let, and entered upon on Lady-Day next. All those buildings now employed in the Iron Manufactory at Upper Redbrooke, In the County of Gloucester, with six Dwelling Houses thereto belonging, occupied by Workmen. The business in which these Works are at present, and for some years past have been principally engaged, is that of making spades, shovels, locks, hinges, edge tools and the like; but the Situation and Convenience of the Premises are such, that many other Branches of the Iron Manufactory might be added to the present, and the Whole carried on there on the most commodious and enlarged Plan. The above lie on a fine Stream of Water, which command every part of the Works, are within an hundred yards of the River Wye, and can be supplied with coal and proper timber on very reasonable terms.
For further particulars apply to Mr. Aubry Barnes, in Monmouth; or to Mr. Peter James; at High Meadow House, who will show the premises."

a second advertisement appeared in Berrow's Worcester Journal of 25 Jan 1781

Gooday Sparrow

I've only just found this site this morning - fantastic - I live on the Upper Redbrook Furness / Foundry site - which I don't think is the one you have posted about. There were two important sites and I think that description fits the former Upper Copper Works on acount of it's close proximity to the Wye.

I see from your past posts you are interested in the Hill family. My wife remembers a Malcolm Hill and he lived virtually next door to where we are in a house then called 'The Glen' (since re-named Stampers Wheel). This house was previously the Forge last opperated by Thomas Burgham - closed C 1880.

I can certainly find out more on the Hill family; in deed a older freind born here is visting us today. - Still working my way round this site so you will know better how to get in touch than I.

Cheers

Mike J

Vurrister... any information about the early foundry's at Upper Redbrook is useful, but I don't know that my HILL family were actually born in the area.
Timothy Hill was born abt. 1742 and his brother Moses about 1749. The references to Newland and Redbrook only relate to Timothy c.1770. He married in London in 1771 and established an ironmongers at No. 1 Surrey side, Westminster Bridge, around this time.
He was also appointed a bellhanger c.1788. The ironmongers business remained in the family until 1839 and other references I have are for Bromsgrove & Redditch - Worcester in relation to the manufacture of nails. There was a reference to a Daniel Hill in the Will of Timothy (1792) but no sight of a Daniel has been made in connection to Timothy or Moses.
Neither Timothy or Moses birth/baptism appear in the numerous sources I have searched in Gloucester, Worcester or Monmouth - even London, their descendants have been much easier to pursue.

Thus any links for Timothy to the Forest of Dean area in the 1760-70's may only have been for a limited period and only as a means of carrying out his trade.

But any Hill detail and particularly detail of the forges in that area and era provides a better overall picture of the history.

Thank you
Sparrow

detail of the forges in that area and era provides a better overall picture of the history.

There are a number of Articles you can download about Iron Mines in the Forest of Dean by going to the GSIA Annual Journal page in our Historical Articles section.

"Upper Redbrook itself contained three separate industrial sites, the copper works of John Coster, the iron furnace leased to the Foley family by 1697 with William Rea as their local manager and a second iron furnace leased by 1699 to William Johnson although his iron seems to have stopped passing through Gloucester by 1708."

From my (hopefully) forthcoming publication.

Peter

I hope to do a book myself largely concentrating on my time here. The industrial heratage of Redbrook must already be by far the most written about record in the Forest so you will be in good company Peter If you let me know under what guise you're publishing I shal keep a enthusiastic look out for it?

Good luck

Mike J.

Along with Colin Green (author of "Severn Traders") I hope to publish a book on the Lower Wye Navigation. (The emphasis being on the river itself.) I have written a chapter on the Syner family, one of the trowmen who lived and worked out of Lower Redbrook. It is mainly to do with the patterns of trade.

I know Collin well - I have his books in my collection

A few years ago we worked together to try to get a project going to build a slightly scaled down version of John Hudson's 'Good Hope' which features on the loose cover of Collin's book 'Severn Traders' but as I seem to recall the picture is not of the trow as Hudson built; but of after it had been lengthened later on in its life. Collin knows his onions on the marine side of things so I dont think I can be of much help - but I shall be keeping a eye out for the book.

Oh by the way our project was part of a lottery bid called 'Looking Over the Wye' put together by the AONB office at Monmouth - our part failed to make the AONB's final list which is a pitty because it turned out succesful. I think Collin was more sucked of about than I was - Please give him my regards

All the best

Mike J

Will do.

Peter