Blaydon, lead foundry

The Ryton Foundry for Aldstone Moor opened at Blaydon between 1692 and 1696. It was owned by the London Lead Company. The company was set up 'for the Smelting downe Lead with Pittcoale ans Seacoale'. The foundry had six furnaces. The company chemist Edward Wright perfected the coal-fired reverbatory furnace, which allowed mass production of lead, and the method of extracting silver from lead called cupellation. The head smelter was Thomas Pattison. In 1706 the London Lead Company moved operations to the orefield in Allendale. The Blaydon foundry was bought by Sir William Blackett.