| John
Guest was an Englishman from Broseley, Staffordshire, and arrived in Merthyr
Tydfil in 1759 to act as manager of the "Myrthy Furnace." So efficient
was he that he was soon given sole charge of the furnace, while Thomas Lewis
saw to the transport of the iron to Cardiff. Under the careful management
of John Guest, the work prospered, and he became a partner in the firm.
As the business grew rapidly, the Dowlais Iron Company was formed in 1759.By
the time of Guest's death in 1785, the production of iron had trebled from
the 500 tons a year in 1759.Thomas Guest succeeded his father as manager,
and held the position until his death in 1807. He was the first to introduce
steam power into the district, in 1795, and was responsible for the opening
of a Company, or Truck Shop, in 1797. Like his father, he was a tireless
worker. The works increased in size and the output became much greater,
so that in 1800 there were three furnaces working, and these produced 3,000
tons of iron in a year. He was deeply religious and helped to establish
the Wesleyan Methodist cause in the district. As a lay preacher he often
officiated at the chapels in the neighbourhood.John Josiah Guest was the
next manager and he, too, put all his energy into the work. It is said that
he mastered his work so thouroughly that he could cut coal and roll iron
as skillfully as the best craftsman.The ouput continued to increase rapidly.
In 1815 there were five furnaces in blast, and 16,000 tons of iron were
manufactured in a year. Thirty years later, in 1845, over 7,000 workpeople
were employed, and 75,000 tons of iron were made in the 18 furnaces, and
sent to Cardiff for export.Sir John Guest was the last of his family to
take an active, personal interest in the works. |