 He was educated privately at a school in Norton near Sheffield and then in 1827 he worked as an apprentice clerk in the firm of Yates, Cox and Co, who were iron merchants and nail makers in Liverpool.In 1836 he formed a partnership with James Nasmyth which led to the creation of Nasmyth, Gaskell and Company and the building of the Bridgewater Foundry at Patricroft near Manchester.Nasmyth recalls this in his biography "He had served his time at Yates and Cox, iron merchants, of Liverpool.