John Cockerill was an English-born industrialist who became a prominent businessman in Belgium. Born at Haslingden, Lancashire, England, he was brought by his father to the Liège region, where he cont
Seraing
…donated to the abbey of Sint-Truiden. The whole territory soon passed to the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. The first ironworks were founded there in 1809. John Cockerill and his brother James revolutionized the steel industry by using blast furnaces and coke instead of traditional charcoal. These inventions were the…
John Cockerill
King William I pictured with Cockerill in 1829 in the propaganda publication Les Rencontres historiques (1829-30). The original caption reads: "Continue without fear your great enterprises and remember that the King of the Netherlands always has money at the service of industry." Cockerill's chateau at Seraing is in the background.
Monument to John Cockerill on the Place du Luxembourg/Luxemburgplein in Brussels