John Baildon
John Baildon was a Scottish pioneer in metallurgy in continental Europe.
Baildon was born in Larbert, Stirlingshire. In 1793, he came to Prussian Silesia on the invitation of Friedrich Wilhelm [von Reden|Friedrich von Reden]. During the remainder of his life in Silesia, Baildon was involved in numerous pioneering industrial undertakings, including construction of the first blast furnaces fired by coke in continental Europe ] and [Chorzów|Chorzów, the Kanał Kłodnicki , and the first iron bridge in continental Europe.
John married Helene Antonie Galli, daughter of an Italian merchant, in Gliwice in 1804 and had 7 children. He died in Gliwice and is buried there at the Metallurgical Cemetery, known as the Cmentarz Hutniczy in Polish.
A major steel works was named after him.