Henry Bessemer

Life & Legacy

Sir Henry Bessemer (19 January 1813 – 15 March 1898) was an English inventor, whose steel-making process was the most important technique for making steel in the nineteenth century for almost one hundred years. He played a significant role in establishing the town of Sheffield, nicknamed ‘Steel City’, as a major industrial centre.
Bessemer had been trying to reduce the cost of steel-making for military ordnance, and developed his system for blowing air through molten pig iron to remove the impurities. This made steel easier, quicker and cheaper to manufacture, and revolutionised structural engineering. One of the most significant inventors of the Second Industrial Revolution, Bessemer made at least 128 inventions in the fields of iron, steel and glass. Unlike many inventors, he brought his own projects to fruition and profited financially from their success. In 1879, he was knighted for his contribution to science and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society.