John Baildon

The grave of John Baildon on the Metallurgical Cemetery in Gleiwitz (Gliwice)

John Baildon (11 December 1772 – 7 August 1846) was a Scottish pioneer in metallurgy in continental Europe.

Baildon was born in Larbert, Stirlingshire. In 1793, he came to Prussian Silesia (in modern day Upper Silesia, Poland) on the invitation of Friedrich von Reden. During the remainder of his life in Silesia, Baildon was involved in numerous pioneering industrial undertakings, including construction of the first blast furnaces fired by coke in continental Europe (in Gleiwitz (Gliwice) and Königshütte (Chorzów), the first pig iron produced on 21 September 1796), the Klodnitz (Kłodnica) Canal, and the first iron bridge in continental Europe (over the Strzegomka river in Laasan, Lower Silesia, erected in Spring 1796).

John married Helene Antonie Galli, daughter of an Italian merchant, in Gleiwitz in 1804 and had 7 children (5 sons, 2 daughters). He died in Gleiwitz and is buried there (at the "Hutniczy" cemetery).

A major steel works (Baildon Steelworks, Katowice, established in 1823, liquidated in 2001) was named after him.

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