History of the Iron, Steel, Tinplate and Other Trades of Wales

A portrait of the changing economic and industrial landscape of Wales told by one of its most enthusiastic local historians.

Charles Wilkins (Author)

9781108026932, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 January 2011

490 pages, 14 b/w illus.
21.6 x 14 x 2.8 cm, 0.62 kg

Charles Wilkins (1831–1913) was a Welsh postmaster and librarian who had a deep interest in local and regional history, especially of the town of Merthyr Tydfil where he lived. He wrote prolifically for many of the local newspapers, and produced histories of the town, Welsh literature, and the region's coal trade before tackling this work, published in 1903, which examines the rise of the iron and steel industries across the region, and gives a lively account of the notable families who were behind this industrial expansion from the eighteenth century onwards. Wales was a hub of steel, iron and tin production, which became much in demand during the Industrial Revolution. Wilkins also considers the workers' lives, devoting space to the riots of 1831, and paints a broad social and economic portrait of Wales at a time of great transition.

1. History of the iron, steel, and tinplate trades
2. Aberdare in old days
3. The beginning of Dowlais
4. The first guest in his exile at Dowlais
5. Anthony Bacon and the beginning of Cyfarthfa
6. The Homfrays of Penydarren
7. The Crawshay family
8. Favourite poem of Richard Crawshay
9. William Crawshay, the Iron King
10. The riots at Merthyr Tydfil
11. Sir John Josiah Guest, M.P., the Iron King
12. Sir John Josiah Guest, Bart.
13. The Homfrays, Formans, and Alderman Thompson, of Penydarren
14. Sir John J. Guest
15. Penydarren works
16. The eminent men of Penydarren
17. The Plymouth ironworks and the Hill family
18. Plymouth works
19. Abernant works
20. Sir Richard Fothergill as M.P. for Merthyr Tydfil
21. Tredegar
22. The Rhymney works
23. Ebbw Vale
24. Blaenavon ironworks
25. Beaufort iron works
26. Manors of Miskin, Rhondda, etc.
27. The Chain and Anchor works at Pontypridd
28. Melingriffith and Pentyrch
29. The leading men of early iron days
30. Men of the iron age
31. Dowlais after the death of Sir John J. Guest
32. Farthfa after the death of William Crawshay
33. Tinplate
34. Aberavon and district
35. The Llynvi Valley
36. Maesteg works and neighbourhood
37. Neath
38. Briton Ferry
39. Landore
40. Swansea
41. Carmarthenshire iron works and Mr. Raby
42. Sir John Jones Jenkins
43. Visit to a Morriston works
44. Llanelly and its note-worthy men
45. Cardiganshire tinplate works
46. Bessemer and Siemens
47. Dates of interest in connection with the tinplate industry in Glamorganshire and Carmarthenshire
48. Wales the teacher
49. The social life of our workers
50. Old, and also extinct iron works
Appendix
List of subscribers
Index.

Subject Areas: History of engineering & technology [TBX]