My memories are from when i started school in 1943 at the tin mill school, derwent street, blackhill, as far as i remmember i did not like it. Before the 1840s the area now known as consett was a wild, desolate space. It was denationalised shortly afterwards, then renationalised in 1967. Thatcher will be remembered for closing consett steelworks.
The consett iron company ltd was an industrial business based in the consett area of county durham in the united kingdom. The works were the largest in england by 1860, with eleven blast furnaces on a site of over 70 acres and a workforce of nearly 4,000 men and boys. Unlike in the family snaps and in tommy harriss local press photos, germains subjects rarely look you in the eye. Sep 16, 2003 the consett steel works provided jobs for 6,000 workers at its peak in the 1960s. At the industrys peak, in the 1960s, the works employed 6,000 people and the plant was. Consett photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. Consett iron and steel works 1950s 1960s, part 1 of 3 youtube.
Consett steel works, county durham with images historic. About 3,500 jobs were lost when the consett s former steel works shut down in 1980, but the proposals mark the latest stage of the regeneration of the site. A definitive history of shotley bridge and consett and. The town was dominated by the steelworks until 1980 and the club enjoyed their patronage. Urban photographylandscape photographyarchitectural photographyeasington collieryfamily history bookhistory booksst johns college. State film sponsorship and rationalisation of the steel business failed to reverse the steady decline of the industry. Consett steel works, where many of my fathers family once worked.
The history of the beginning of consett iron company. I was born at dixon street, blackfyne, blackhill, county durham. The consett iron company ltd was an industrial business based in the consett area of county. It did not start making steel until 1881, but consetts product was seen as the best in the world, good enough to rival anything.
It was taken back by the works in 1948, and the renamed side of consett a. By 1893 the consett iron company owned ten collieries, seven blast furnaces, steel melting shops, plate and angle mills,a foundry, brickworks and engineering works. Local history old photos steel vintage photos old photographs steel grades. The consett iron company was the largest steel manufacturer in the world. The film opens with long shots of consett steel works, the highest steel works in britain, set in the rural landscape. The derwent iron works, county durham, were established in 1840. Here is a picture of consett before the demolition of the works. Consett steel works, county durham family history book history books life pictures life pics easington colliery salt of the earth north east england londonderry city of angels easington colliery photographed by allinsons photography during demolition. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of consett. Family history book, history books, durham city, st johns college, uk people, places in england. Ray tells me he was the last apprentice to be trained. Macgregor as british steel chairman to drive through its savage rationalisation programme and by.
After the best local ironstone was depleted the stockton and darlington railway and other local railways were extended to transport ironstone from cleveland to the works. Shotley bridge hospital plans for consett steelworks site. Consett iron company project gutenberg selfpublishing. The history of the consett iron company chapter one the iron works first twenty four years in operation 1841 to 1865 an early sketch showing the blast furnaces of consett iron company. On september 1980 the legendary iron and steel works at consett closed, despite making a profit that year, and left a devastating third of the town out of work. Welcome to this, the 4th book in our consett series. Registered april 4, 1864, and owns the chopwell, garesfield, langley park, victory, and other collieries in the county of durham, limestone quarries near stanhope acquired in 1900, and iron and steel works at consett. Jul 23, 2012 consett iron and steel works 1950s 1960s nev t. From their inception, the works and town have constantly changed due to industrial and commercial pressures and the need for improved housing. Hodgson, discovered that the banks books were only balanced. On this day 35 years ago, the town of consett in county durham was dealt a hammer blow when its giant steelworks closed. The works provided the teams first ground the vicarage field, known locally as the vic. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Family history book, history books, durham city, st johns college, uk people, places in england, north east england, childhood days, coal mining. A brief history, and description, of consett iron works, teesside, and. May 31, 2009 consett iron and steel works 1950s 1960s, part 2 of 3 duration. An iron and steelworks was established in consett in 1864 by the consett iron company limited and over the next 100 years consett became one of the worlds most prominent steel making towns. Steel had dominated consetts economy for 140 years. People browse shops in the streets of consett town. See more ideas about old photos, local history and history.
Consett magazine focuses on inspiring, educational, and entertaining content. In the 1870s the production of steel became increasingly important, and the consett industries supplied steel for shipbuilding and the railway industry. Following nationalisation in postwar britain, the company became part of the british steel corporation, employing 7,250 as late as 1970. Nov 12, 2016 the book is split into two main parts. Several pubs have taken names that reflect the towns steel making past. Consett steel services limited free company information from companies house including registered office address, filing history, accounts, annual return, officers, charges, business activity. History consett magazine consett news for consett by. The consett iron company itself was nationalised in 1951, becoming part of the iron and steel corporation of great britain. It did not start making steel until 1881, but consetts product was seen as the best. But there was intense competition in the 1970s from both local competitors on. The redcar plants history over the past 40 years has been tangled. Mar 31, 2005 before the 1840s the area now known as consett was a wild, desolate space.
It did not start making steel until 1881, but consetts product was seen. The town lies at the terminus of the consett branch of the n. History consett magazine consett news for consett by the. Cyndis list index of online genealogical resources.
Consett talking points welcome to book number 5 in our consett series. Consett iron lets look again a history of branded britain. Ray tells me he was the last apprentice to be trained at consett, following his father into the works and. Blackhill in the 1940s a nostalgic memory of blackhill. Consett iron and steel works 18401980 derwent iron company in consett was founded in 1840 by jonathan to quarry and smelt ironstone. Consett steel works 1980they closed the same year, with a loss of. Because im researching the shotley bridge swordmakers for my phd in english, my focus will be on part 1. Or, to give the book its full name, thread of iron. In the late 1950s early 1960s a film was commissioned by the british iron and steel industry to document the day to day o. Consett steelworks closed on this day in 1980 evening. It did not start making steel until 1881, but consett s product was seen as the best. The original workshops of the sheffield, ashtonunderlyne and manchester railway were in newton near hyde in cheshire but were inconveniently situated, cramped and makeshift. The company owned coal mines and limestone quarries, and manufactured iron and steel. How consett steelworks closed with the loss of 4500 jobs in september, 1980 and how the site looks today.
General view of the consett steel works showing trackways and overhead piping 4221569 framed, poster, canvas prints, puzzles, photo gifts and wall art. Consett, from steel to tortilla chips, published in 1989 to accompany the exhibition of the same title. The consett steel works provided jobs for 6,000 workers at its peak in the 1960s. Consett magazine publishes positive local content about a town which sits high on the edge of the pennines in north east england, consett.
Buy consett iron works in 1893 by uk paperback online at lulu. Federation of family history societies tips and links for family history. Consett steel works was due to close in 1980 and with some 3,700 jobs on the line, it was a bleak future for consett. Consett iron company catalogue item durham record office. In 1845 the railway asked their locomotive superintendent, richard peacock, to find a more suitable site for a locomotive and carriage and wagon works. The explosive development which resulted from the formation of the derwent iron company at this time created a company town in the truest sense, with the lives of approximately 14,000 workers and their dependents dominated by iron, coal and, later, steel. Consett steel services limited overview free company. Towns like consett in county durham relied heavily on the steel works which were part of their cultural heritage. Oct 27, 2015 the redcar plants history over the past 40 years has been tangled. This in turn was the successor to the derwent iron company, founded in 1840. The street signs steel street, bessemer street, tin mill place, and the smelters arms, castleside, pub sign document its steel industry origins. Featuring over 200,000 oil paintings by some 38,000 artists.
We love to publish locally sourced consett and county durham content from writers of all ages. The population of consett according to the census was 36,017. Francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. The explosive development which resulted from the formation of the derwent iron company at this time created a company town in the truest sense, with the lives of approximately 14,000 workers and teir dependents dominated by iron, coal and later, steel. Minute book of the shareholders of the consett new town hall company ltd. Brassy colours conceal emptiness and would seem to urge temporary gratification. Consett, from steel to tortilla chips, why not publishing, 1990. Page to celebrate the history of the consett steelworks work in progress content and pictures taken from a. By developing the redundant land, the trust has totally changed the landscape, facilitated over 150 million pounds worth of development and created hundreds of jobs for local people. From consett s bygone days as a steel town with a strong reliance on rail, next to where the main railway station used to be, is a club named the station club, now opposite a health centre. It did not start making steel until 1881, but consett s product was seen as the best in the world, good enough to rival anything.
Media in category consett steel works the following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total. The company was created in 1840 by mr johnathon richardson under the name of the derwent iron. Today, there is no sign of the decades of heavy industry that took place on the site, and instead there is a tesco extra store. In the first half century of its history, the company always made a profit. A contemporary description of the steel and iron manufacturing carried on at consett steelworks during the victorian era by jenkins, w isbn. A definitive history of shotley bridge and consett. Douglas vernon lived locally and worked at consett steel works for.
But there was intense competition in the 1970s from both local competitors on teesside and from abroad. Art uk is the online home for every public collection in the uk. Cokewashing and byproduct plants are erected at templetown and langley park colliery and new byproduct plant known as the fell coke works commenced. Mar 11, 2008 consett steel works was due to close in 1980 and with some 3,700 jobs on the line, it was a bleak future for consett. Blackhill was shadowed by consett iron company as it was then known later known as consett steel works, most of the men worked there. Derwentside district council 1974 2009 catalogue item. Despite these problems, by the 1860s the works became increasingly successful, with over 18 furnaces, as well as rolling mills, coke ovens and foundries.