William Sandford

William Sandford (26 September 1841 – 29 May 1932) was an English-Australian ironmaster, who is widely regarded as the father of the modern iron and steel industry in Australia. Early life in England Sandford was born at Torrington in Devon and became an accountant, eventually becoming manager of Ashton Gate Iron Rolling Mills. Early years in Australia In 1883, he moved to Sydney, employed to organise a wire-netting factory, at what was then part of Five Dock now Chiswick, NSW. At the time of his first involvement in the colonial iron industry, his later views on providing import protection and increasing local manufacturing were already formed. After visiting Lithgow, he became enthusiastic about the local iron industry and tried to persuade his English employers to buy the Eskbank Ironworks.