Abraham Darby I

Abraham Darby, in his later life called Abraham Darby the Elder, now sometimes known for convenience as Abraham Darby I, was a British ironmaster and foundryman. Born into an English Quaker family that played an important role in the Industrial Revolution, Darby developed a method of producing pig iron in a blast furnace fuelled by coke rather than charcoal. This was a major step forward in the production of iron as a raw material for the Industrial Revolution.

14 April 1678

Born on the same birth day (14 April): Anastasios Papaligouras • Anne Sullivan • Baker Mayfield • Barbara Anderson (writer) • Berry Berenson • Blake Costanzo • Brad Sinopoli • Charles Collé • Craig McDermott • Elizabeth Symons, Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean • Katsuhiro Otomo • Knut Kristiansen • Loretta Lynn • Martin Lipp • Nadine Faustin-Parker • René Desmaison • Richard Thompson (physician) • Rob McElhenney • Robert Doisneau • Roberto Ayala • Sepp Mayerl • Shivrampant Damle • Shorty Rogers