John Fothergill (merchant)

John Fothergill (* 1730, † 1782 ) was a British entrepreneur and engineer. As a partner of Matthew Boulton, he was instrumental in the construction and commercial success of the Soho Manufactory, one of the first factories in the early Industrial Revolution in England.

Native Russian and went with his cousin in Königsberg in the doctrine, had Fothergill settled in Birmingham, where he was employed by a merchant, but is intended to become self-employed. On a business trip to London in January 1762, he met Matthew Boulton, who was just about to cultivate an area in Handsworth in Birmingham with a series of workshops and engine nacelles, with which he the existing production of metal buttons and decorative arts objects in one place wanted to focus and expand. Since the expansion was not only expensive but also time consuming Boulton needed a partner who earned money for one and could take over the other, the construction supervision. In Fothergill, who also brought his business contacts to the continent, he found a suitable partner. The partnership agreement was signed at midsummer day in 1762; the company called Boulton & Fothergill. Boulton brought a the grounds and the buildings already constructed and materials and some funds worth a total of around 6,200 pounds, Fothergill brought cash of approximately £ 5,400 with which he had taken as loan. It monitored the progress of the works from the already made-up as a manor house Soho House, while Boulton took care of the current fiscal, which was used in the classical form of home workshops in a few miles away from Birmingham Snow Hill district.

Fothergill proved in the partnership from the outset as the prudent merchant, each issue very closely covered, while Boulton was the driving force behind the implementation of technical and social utopias. Together they were able, despite constant money problems and strong competition, the company lead to a great success. Thus they established the then new entrepreneurial ideas, workplaces to focus at a location separate from the houses and to allow the concentration of the use of large machines.

Despite his cautious approach commercial came Fothergill 1781 a scam that drove him into bankruptcy. Boulton was obliged to solve the partnership. The following year, Fothergill died, leaving a wife and seven children. Boulton sat the family of a pension and sparked the loan that Fothergill had received for the partnership and not yet repaid from.