Henry Schneider (1817-1887)

Henry William Schneider was industrialist, and civic leader, who played a pivotal role in the development of Barrow-in-Furness. He arrived in Barrow in 1839 as a speculator and dealer in iron. He took over Whitriggs iron ore mine north-west of Lindal-in-Furness.  Along with James Ramsden, Schneider was one of the investors who founded the Furness Railway in 1846, to transport iron ore and slate. His company discovered the Park iron ore deposit in c.1849. A key breakthrough for Schneider was the discovery, within the Park deposit, a highly rich source of iron ore, mined at Burlington Pit, near Askam in c.1851. His company, in partnership with John Hannay, purchased land in Hindpool to build furnaces. Schneider's iron company later merged with one founded by Ramsden to form the Barrow Hematite Steel Company in 1859. Whist chairman of the company, Schneider lived at Belsfield House in Bowness-on-Windermere. Each day, he travelled by his steam yacht Esperance across Windermere to Lakeside, where he got a train to his office in Barrow-in-Furness. Schneider also had a house, Villa Marina, on Roa Island. Today, he is remembered today by his statue, which stands in Schneider Square in Barrow.