Noah Hingley

Noah Hingley (1796–1877) was an English industrialist from the Black Country region of the United Kingdom. He started making chain near the village of Cradley. He founded the firm N. Hingley & Sons in 1838 which became a large scale manufacturer of anchors and chains with large works on the Dudley No. 2 Canal at Netherton. He became Mayor of Dudley in 1869 and stood unsuccessfully for parliament in 1874.

Noah Hingley was born on 7 March 1796. His parents were Isaac and Ester Hingley. He worked with his father at a forge in Cradley. According to an obituary of one of his sons: "Noah Hingley was proud to acknowledge that he was born a poor man, and sprang from the ranks of the working-classes, he and his father before him having plied the craft of chain-making in a small factory on the banks of the Stour."

His first marriage was to Sarah Willettsin 1814.

In 1820 he started making chain cable for ships after winning an order from a Liverpool shipowner.The size of the chain (made from 1.5 inch diameter bar) was unusually large for that time and Hingley's success in its manufacture has led to him being credited with bringing the chain cable industry into the Black Country district.

His second marriage was to Anne Linton Wittington in 1833

In 1838 he set up the firm N. Hingley & Sons.

The firm moved to Netherton in 1852 where large scale anchor and chain works were constructed.

In addition to being an industrialist and employer, Noah Hingley was a philanthropist supporting education, religion and poor relief in his locality.

Noah Hingley became Mayor of Dudley in 1869and stood as Parliamentary candidate for Dudley in 1874, losing to the long-established sitting candidate Henry Brinsley Sheridan.

He died on 21 October 1877 at Hatherton Lodge in Cradleyand was buried at St John the Baptist Church, Halesowen. According to Dudley chronicler, C. F. G. Clark: "The death of this good old gentleman, in 1877, drew the tears of sincere regret from thousands of the working classes of this neighbourhood; and the public funeral, which was accorded to his remains, witnessed one of the largest gatherings of respectably dressed, sorrowful men, women, and children, that ever assembled on any occasion to pay their last mark of regard to real departed worth. The Mayor and Corporation of Dudley attended these obsequies in public procession; Mr. Hingley being an Alderman of the Borough, and in 1870-1 its esteemed mayor."

His firm carried on, however, firstly under the leadership of his son Benjamin Hingley and then, later, his grandchildren.