William Cadell (1708-1777)

Industrialist

William Cadell was the manager of collieries and a sulphuric acid works in East Lothian. These proved successful and he was invited to invest with others in a modern ironworks. They set up the Carron Company near Falkirk in 1759. It was a significant development at the start of the Industrial Revolution in Scotland and became a major employer. William Cadell was involved, together with his son William, for its first 10 years. He died at Cockenzie on 31 March 1777.

The spelling of the Cadell family name varies in the records. The entries in the Old Parish Registers below give Caddell. Our ScotlandsPeople website includes a Surnames guide which provides advice about searching variant spellings.

Birth in 1708

William Caddell was born on 10 May 1708, the son of William Caddell and Anna Hog. The entry in the Old Parish Register (OPR) for Haddington gives the date of baptism as 16 May and the witnesses as James Hog and James Torrens.

Birth and baptism entry for William Cadell (28 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 709/3, page 159

Marriage in 1734

William Caddell married Christian Hog of the parish of Prestonpans on 20 July 1734. The entry in the Old Parish Register for Haddington gives the cautioners (caurs) as 'for him David Young, for her John Caddell'.

Marriage entry for William Cadell (44 KB jpeg)
National Records of Scotland, OPR 709/6, page 200