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Henry Bessemer was born on January 19 1813 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.
The son of an engineer and type founder, he showed remarkable mechanical skill and inventiveness from a very early age.
At seventeen after learning metallurgy at his father's type foundry, he set up his own business in London making small castings and producing artwork.
He first made his fortune selling gold powder made from brass as a paint additive; he did this at a fraction of the cost of the German process cost. This secret formula was in great demand and was used to adorn much of the gilded decoration of that time. The profit he earned from this allowed him to set up a small iron works in St. Pancras.
In 1853 war broke out in the Crimea, Henry set about finding a way to produce stronger gun barrels.
In October 1855 Henry patented a process by which molten pig-iron could be turned directly into steel by blowing air through it in a Bessemer Converter.
1859 in Sheffield, Henry opened a steel works. The worldwide demand for steel railings, locomotives and bridges saw a huge rise in production.
Henry was elected FRS in 1877 and received a knighthood two years later.
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