Moses Ironmonger

Moses Ironmonger (c. 1809 – 25 November 1887) was a successful rope manufacturer who, although an orphan from humble beginnings, twice became Mayor of Wolverhampton (1857/58 and 1868/69).

Ironmonger & Co Ltd.

Ironmonger built up a very successful business manufacturing rope, 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 until it finally went into liquidation in 1902.^[1]

Provincial telephone pioneer

He was a friend of the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, and in 1880 the first telephone line in Wolverhampton was laid between Ironmonger's factory and the company's offices, a mile away,^[2] barely four years after Bell's demonstration of clear speech on a telephone transmission.

Politics

A Liberal supporter, Ironmonger was appointed Chief Magistrate in 1857, served as a governor for the Wolverhampton Grammar School and president of the Wolverhampton Chamber of Commerce. He twice served as Mayor of Wolverhampton, 1857—1858 and 1868—1869.^[3]

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 of London, in 1882. He also paid for the encaustic tiling around the font.^[4]

Family

Ironmonger was born c. 1809 in London, England, and orphaned at 18 years of age,^[1] when his father, ropemaker Aaron Ironmonger, died in 1927.^[4] He married Mary Ann, née Perry, in 1832 in Wolverhampton, and they had two sons before she died in 1835.^[4] He married Elizabeth née Bosworth in 1841, also in Wolverhampton, and lived at the business in Cock Street, now Victoria Street.^[5] They had two daughters.^[4] He died in Graisley, Wolverhampton, in 1887, after a long illness.^[1]

References