William Cross Furley

William Cross Furley

William Cross Furley was born in 1824 in Beckingham, the son of Richard Furley and Mary Ann Cross.

He married Hannah Elizabeth Brown in 1851.

Before then, he had been in West Africa, possibly building ships. He built ships on his own account when he returned to the UK.

He rented premises down Carr Lane, Gainsborough, where Sandars were on the right-hand side. He named his premises the Phoenix Iron Works.

J B Edlington & Co Ltd rented the premises after William left. When John Butler Edlington built his new factory, he called it the Phoenix Iron Works and had a phoenix above the door.

William built two vessels in 1861 – ‘Voringen’ and ‘Aberystwyth’.

William joined the Trent and Humber Ship Building Company Limited.

“The Company is formed for the purpose of building Wood, Iron and Steam Vessels and for the manufacture of marine engines, boilers and machinery connected. The Company’s Works are set in Crowgarth. Their office is in Lord Street. Mr William Cross Furley is the manager.”

William resigned as the resident engineer in January 1864, and the Company was sold in 1866.

In the 1871 census, William is recorded as living at Orchard House, Beckingham, with his mother, Mary Ann. In 1881, he was at the Trent Port Wharf.

William died in 1889 and is buried in the General Cemetery.