He was raised in a large family by his widowed mother and was apprenticed to his uncle, Cornelius Whitehouse, an innovator in new ways of tube manufacture.
He worked in Wednesbury and Monmore Green and acquired the knowledge to leave and set up his own business aged 32.
The company expanded rapidly acquiring additional premises along the canal and adjacent to the new railway.
It grew to become one of the largest tube manufacturers in South Staffordship, with a worldwide reputation for high quality products.
He represented St George's Ward and was a member of the Waterworks Committee, promoting improvements to the town supply.