Sir Francis Ley, 1st Baronet was an English industrialist. He founded Ley's Malleable Castings Vulcan Ironworks in Derby. He (re-)introduced baseball into the United Kingdom town of Derby with the Ley's Recreation Club and owned Ley's Recreation Centre from 1890 to 1924, which was home to Derby County Football Club.
The mess room for Ley's Malleable Castings in Colombo Street, Derby
The 1890 Derby Baseball team with Francis Ley at centre.
Another Derby Baseball Club team – which on the middle row from left includes Steve Bloomer, Ley's son, H. Gordon Ley and Ley himself
A 1912 Ley's Cricket team that includes three members of the England Football team
Vulcan Iron Works was the name of several iron foundries in both England and the United States during the Industrial Revolution and, in one case, lasting until the mid-20th century. Vulcan, the Roman god of fire and smithery, was a popular namesake for these foundries.
Vulcan Works, Thornton Road, Bradford, ca 1888, founded by Robinson Thwaites, was one of several Victorian era iron mills sharing the name; like many others, it made a wide variety of machinery including mining equipment and locomotives
The mess room for Ley's Malleable Castings in Colombo Street, Derby
Vulcan Iron Works, Worcester, founded by Thomas Clunes
Gregson and Monk Engineers, Salter Street, Preston, in 1960
