Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hazeldine, William
HAZELDINE, WILLIAM (1763–1840), ironfounder, was born at Shawbury, Shropshire, in 1763. His parents removed while he was very young to Sowbatch, near a forge at Moreton-Corbet, now Moreton Mill, about seven miles from Shrewsbury. In his early years he worked as an operative millwright. He was chiefly brought up by his uncle, an able millwright and engineer, who recommended Hazeldine about 1780 to superintend the erection of machinery at Upton forge, the property of the Sundorne family. Hazeldine afterwards became the tenant of this forge and of the adjoining farm. He subsequently removed to Shrewsbury, and entered into partnership with a clockmaker and mechanician named Webster. Their first foundry was in Cole-hall, or Knucking Street, in Shrewsbury. The business prospered, but Webster not caring to speculate to the necessary extent, a dissolution of partnership followed. Hazeldine then built a foundry at Coleham, Shropshire. He afterwards occupied a foundry near Ruabon, Denbighshire, ironworks at Calcott, in Bicton, Shropshire, and limeworks at Llanymynech in the same county. In 1788 he became acquainted with Thomas Telford. When Telford was engaged in constructing the Ellesmere and Chester canal, Hazeldine became the contractor for the Chirk (1796–1801) and Pont-Cysylltau (1795–1803) aqueducts. The erection of the locks on the Caledonian canal (1804–12) was entrusted to him. In 1820 he engaged to furnish the whole of the ironwork for the Menai Bridge (1819–25); he also supplied the ironwork for the Conway Bridge (1822–1826); and made the iron arch for Tewkesbury Bridge (1823–6). A list of his more important undertakings is given in the ‘Gentleman's Magazine,’ for 1841, pt. i. pp. 100–2. In 1832, when the Princess Victoria and the Duchess of Kent visited the Earl of Liverpool at Pitchford Park, near Shrewsbury, Hazeldine was deputed to explain to them the principles and construction of the Menai Bridge. He died at Dogpole House, near Shrewsbury, on 26 Oct. 1840, and was buried in St. Chad's churchyard. His monument in the church is surmounted by a bust by Chantrey. He married Miss Brayne of Ternhill, who, with one of his daughters, died before him.
[Gent. Mag. 1841, pt. i. pp. 100–2; Telford's Autobiography, ed. J. Rickman, pp. 222, 233, 257.]