Mr. John Cockshutt, of Huthwaite Hall, was the hero of a
scene in the House of Commons. During the Administration of Mr.
Pelham (First Lord of the Treasury with a very brief interval from
1743-1754) an attempt was made in Parliament to encourage the use of
American iron in opposition to the Swedish and Russian.
Amongst the persons sent up from Sheffield to oppose this, the American iron
being reckoned not equally good with the other, was Mr. Cockshutt.
Sitting in the gallery one evening when the debate ran pretty high, and
hearing a gentleman saying something he did not like, he rose up and called out,

 "I hear, by that fellow's talk, he knows nothing about the matter. Show
him a piece of iron and a piece of steel, and he'll not know which is
which, I'll be bound for it; yet he pretends to teach us in our trade."

Upon this there was an uproar in the House. Some were for committing
him to prison However, in the end he was suffered to remain, and
next morning a very polite card was sent to his lodgings, inviting him to
breakfast with Mr. Pelham.

 

REMINISCENCES OF SHEFFIELD by
R.E.LEADER