Who was Joseph Ash?
Ever wondered where the name Joseph Ash Galvanizing came from? Almost 170 years ago, the company was established and named after its founder, Joseph Ash. Here, we cover the rich history of Joseph Ash, the founder of Joseph Ash Galvanizing.
Joseph Ash was born to Thomas Ash (1796-1866) on 30th June 1824 and was the second of Thomas’ four sons. The Ash family rose to wealth and social prominence when they moved from Burton-on-Trent to Birmingham. Thomas set up business as a grocer and chemist before stepping foot into zinc manufacturing circa 1840.
Although all of Thomas’ sons went into separate businesses, it was Joseph who took over the zinc manufacturing business, and who eventually went on to become the founder of Joseph Ash & Son – the company’s original trading name – in 1857. The company was established to provide hot dip galvanizing to customers, helping protect their steel against corrosion. Galvanizing was a relatively new invention at this time, with the first patent for galvanizing being developed by French engineer Stanislaus Tranquille Modeste Sorel in 1836.
Joseph had extensive philanthropic interests in Birmingham, including the Blue Coat School, the General Dispensary, the Blind Asylum, the Deaf Institution, and the Harborne Industrial School. He married his wife Mary Ann, daughter of Henry Genders of Walsall, on 4th July 1848. They would go on to have 11 children together, including four sons and seven daughters.
Joseph Ash died 1st August 1915, age 91. After his death, his sons would go on to develop their own businesses, with Thomas Henry Ash (1845-1917) and Alfred James Ash (1858-1925) taking over Ash & Lacy, a company set up by Joseph Ash and John Pierce Lacy in 1864. Alfred’s only son, Graham Baron Ash, would go on to refurbish Packwood House: a Tudor manor house now owned by the National Trust, visitable to this day.
Joseph Ash Ltd is still a thriving business over 165 years after its founding. With nine sites across the UK, we’re never to far to help protect your steel. Get in touch today to discuss your galvanizing, powder coating, and spin galvanizing requirements.
- Dedicated customer support team in each location
- Fast turnaround times
- UK-wide coverage with our own transport fleet offering collection and delivery
- AkzoNobel approved powder coating at Joseph Ash Medway
Our latest company newsletter is now live!
This month, we share an extraordinary project we helped galvanize: A 25-metre tall architectural illusion in the heart of Brighton.
We also celebrated Wilma Da Fonseca’s 25-year anniversary at Joseph Ash, and we spotlight our one-stop-shop facility, Joseph Ash Medway – offering shot blasting, galvanizing, and powder coating all in one place.