50 JOSIAS CHRISTOPHER GAMBLE 



Northwich, a scheme similar to that which 

 the Mersey Salt and Brine Company carried 

 out nearly fifty years afterwards, when they 

 established their works at Runcorn. After 

 months of search and consideration, he 

 decided to come to St. Helens, and in this 

 enterprise he was joined by James Muspratt. 

 They erected their works on the banks of the 

 St. Helens Canal, close to the double locks, 

 on the spot which is now occupied by the 

 Globe Alkali Company's works. Gamble 

 was seventeen years Muspratt's senior ; they 

 were both men of strong wills ; their partner- 

 ship only lasted two years. Muspratt, in the 

 year 1830, commenced his Newton works, and 

 Gamble remained in sole possession of the 

 St. Helens property, carrying on his opera- 

 tions for five years without any partner. 

 In 1835 a works situated near to his own 

 came into the market ; it consisted of five 

 sulphuric acid chambers, two of which had 

 never been worked, and a plant for making 

 alum from the blue clay called "warrant," 

 which was obtained from the coal-pits. 

 These works were erected about the year 

 1830 by Edward Rawlinson, a blind solicitor 

 from the north of Lancashire ; they were 

 managed by a Mr. Williams, who, it is 



