Sheffield Steel Industry
Powerful local steel making companies were the driving force behind the citys economy.
Sheffield steel industry. The head of this company the master cutler is held in regard equal to the citys lord mayor and it has powers over the trademarking of steel with the sheffield area. Sheffields industrial history sheffield was once the undisputed iron steel and cutlery captial of the world. It later became known as stainless steel revolutionising the steel industry and sheffields steel production. Providing a flat rolled steel solution.
The steel factories of sheffield were set to work making weapons and ammunition for the war. By melvyn joan jones. The sites are on view for the first time on friday and show the heritage of sheffields steel industry. Industrialisation in england and the development of the usa between them fuelled a substantial expansion of the sheffield steel industry in the first half of the 19th century.
In total there were 16 raids over sheffield but it was the heavy bombing over the nights of 12 and 15 december 1940 now known as the sheffield blitz when the most substantial damage occurred. Most original records are available at sheffield archives 52 shoreham street sheffield. In 1915 a sheffield man harry brearley announced that he had invented a so called non rusting steel that did not stain however long it was used and whatever materials it came into contact with. Welcome to sheffield steel.
As a long existing steel service center exceeding expectations is our passion. The rise of the sheffield heavy steel industry. The invention of stainless steel in sheffield in 1913 produced a cheaper and more durable material that quickly to the mass led. A glimpse of a citys steel making past has been unearthed at two archaeological sites.
Some records date from the 17th century. As a result once war was declared the city once again became a target for bombing raids. Sheffield also invented silver plating techniques making its cutlery production worldfamous. The heavy steel and engineering industry was a relative newcomer to sheffieldit did not emerge on any appreciable scale until the 1850s but by the end of the nineteenth century had overtaken the light steel trades and had resulted in the vast physical expansion of the urban area and explosive population growth.
But it was another technological innovation that transformed steel from being a material for making small high value artefacts to building the infrastructure of the modern world in railways bridges ships and sky. The sheffield assay office which opened in 1773 stamps precious metals with the citys crown mark. When you want it how you want it and to the exact specification you want. Evidence of cutlery dates back more than 700 years.
The citys association with metalworking is almost as old at the city itself.