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ADVANCE INFORMATION
The Making of the
Black Country
A Unique Industrial Landscape
Geoff Marshall
KEY SELLING POINTS
Explores in detail the industrial history of the Black Country. Industries combined together, paying particular
focusonthe19thCentury.
Centres on the four Metropolitan District Council areas of Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton that
make up the Black Country. Examines history and heritage.
Authorof 9781803131641 England’s Anglo-SaxonHeritage (Troubador, 2022).
In 1864 Abraham Lincoln appointed Elihu Burritt as United States consul in Birmingham. Burritt captured the
very nature of the Black Country’s unique industrial landscape with his now famous phrase ‘black by day and
redby night’,referringtothesmoking chimneystacksturningtheskyblackwithsmoke bydaytobefollowed
by theredglowfrom ironfurnacesatnight.
TheBlackCountryhasseenmanyinnovations.ThomasNewcomencamein1712toinstallhisfirstground-
breakingatmosphericsteamengineintheshadowofDudleyCastle.JamesWattfollowed laterwhenhe
installedasteamengineattheBilstonironworksof John‘IronMad’ Wilkinson,fatheroftheironindustry.
Bradley, Foster and Rastrick built the ‘Stourbridge Lion’ the first railway locomotive in America, Aaran Manby of
theHorseley IronWorksbuiltthefirstironship togo to sea in1822 and ChanceBrothers, in1851, suppliedthe
glass for Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace, centre piece of the Great Exhibition. There are many more.
The Making of the Black Country: a Unique Industrial Landscape brings all industries together, concentrating on
the19thcenturywhentheBlackCountryreallywasblack bydayandredby night.
Geoff Marshall studied Chemistry at Imperial College. Afteracareer as aresearchchemist, he now works as
a Blue Badge Guideandwrites. He is amember of the Black Country Societyandthe GreaterLondon Industrial
Archaeology Society. An experienced lecturer, he has appeared on television. He is based in Surrey.
Publication Date: 28th November 2024 £19.99 ISBN: 9781836280514
Thema subject category: NHTK – Industrialisation and industrial history
paperback 234 x 156 mm 248 pp Portrait Authorlocation: Surrey
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