Dudd (Dud) Dudley (1599 – 1684), was an English metallurgist, who fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War as a soldier, military engineer, and supplier of cannon. He was the first Englishman to smelt iron ore with coke.
Dudley was the illegitimate son of Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley of Dudley Castle, and grandson of Edward Sutton, 4th Baron Dudley. Dudd was the fourth of Lord Dudley's eleven children by Elizabeth, the daughter of William Tomlinson (she died 3 July 1629). His eldest brother was Robert Dudley of Netherton Hall. Dudd married Eleanor (nee Heaton), (1606-1675), on October 12, 1626, at St. Helen's Church, Worcester.
Lord Dudley, though married in 1586 to Theodosia Harrington and having legitimate heirs at the time, seems to have attended to the up-bringing of his natural children by Elizabeth Tomlinson; educating them carefully, and afterwards employing them in confidential offices connected with the management of his extensive property. When a youth,...
Created by dipity
on Jan 23, 2008
Last updated: 11/05/09 at 09:44 AM