He was one of a dynasty of ironmasters responsible for the industrialisation and urbanisation of the eastern valley through which runs the Afon Llwyd (in English "grey river") in Monmouthshire around Pontypool.

[3] Although a supporter of the Whig party, in his later life he opposed several of Robert Walpole's most important bills.

[4] In 1731, he joined with Sir James Lowther and others in opposing the application previously made by William Wood for a royal charter to incorporate a million pound company for his (ineffective) ironmaking enterprise.

[5] In 1720 he benefited from the legacy of his friend Charles Williams of Caerleon, and with the £70,000 left to him he bought Coldbrook Park near Abergavenny,[4] which subsequently passed to John Hanbury's son Charles Hanbury Williams.

[9] However, the concept of rolling plate iron was probably brought to Pontypool by Thomas Cooke, probably the son of Thomas Cooke, who had worked at Wolverley for Andrew Yarranton, who found out how to produce tinplate by visiting Saxony.

[10][11] The first production of tinplate at Pontypool seems to date from 1725, when this commodity first appears in the Gloucester Port Books.

Bridget was a close friend of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough and Hanbury was introduced to influential politicians.