This volume tells a story of Welsh industrial history different from the one traditionally dominated by the coal and iron communities of Victorian and Edwardian Wales. Extending the chronological scope from the early eighteenth- to the late twentieth-century, and encompassing a wider range of industries, the contributors combine studies of the internal organisation of workplace and production with outward-facing perspectives of Welsh industry in the context of the global economy. The volume offers important new insights into the companies, the employers, the markets and the money behind some of the key sectors of the Welsh economy – from coal to copper, and from steel to manufacturing – and challenges us to reconsider what we think of as constituting ‘industry’ in Wales.

Anyone who has had any success in researching their Welsh ancestry will know that a grasp of specialized Welsh genealogical methods and sources is only one of several factors that contributed to that success. They will know, for example, how important it is in Welsh research to have some understanding of the social, cultural, religious, and economic background of the communities in which those ancestors lived. This book attempts to broaden that understanding, especially for the period prior to 1800 when most researchers begin to experience difficulties. In addition, it aims to make readers more aware of some little-known sources and the special uses that may be applied to the information found in these sources.

Built by industrialists whose early businesses contributed to the escalation of the Industrial Revolution, company towns flourished in countries that embraced capitalism and open-market trading. In many instances, the company town came to symbolize the wrecking of the environment, especially in places associated with extractive industries such as mining and lumber milling. Some resident industrialists, however, took a genuine interest in the welfare of their work forces, and in a number of instances hired architects to provide a model environment. Overtaken by time, these towns were either abandoned or caught up in suburban growth. The most thorough-going and only international assessment of the company town, this collection of essays by specialists and authorities of each region offers a balanced account of architectural and social history and provides a better understanding of the architectural and urban experiences of the early industrial age.

In The Georgian Triumph, 1700–1830 (originally published in 1983), Michael Reed re-creates the ambience of eighteenth-century Britain, a period of astonishing change and, paradoxically, of massive stability. Both the change and the stability were reflected in the landscape. Dr Reed explores the visual impact on the landscape of the adoption of new ideas and practices. These range from the acceptance of the Palladian style of architecture and its gradual replacement by a taste for Gothic, Picturesque or Chinese designs, to the practical exploration of the power of atmospheric pressure and improvements in road-making techniques and the design of water wheels. He describes the ‘feel’ of what it must have been like to live through the years which saw the beginning of the end for the old, medieval society, and the birth of a modern industrial nation. Traditional ways of life were slowly abandoned as ancient open fields were enclosed and divided up by straight roads and hedgerows. Changes in the moral climate led to the gradual disappearance of village feasts and the suppression of cockfighting and bull-running, while other, more acceptable, pastimes such as horse-racing and cricket acquired rules and institutions. The book shows that these changes were brought about by people at work and at play; going about their everyday affairs, they wrote and re-wrote upon the landscape the autobiography of the society of which they formed a part, reflecting its aspirations, ideals and achievements.

Containing over 25,000 entries, this unique volume will be absolutely indispensable for all those with an interest in Britain in the twentieth century. Accessibly arranged by theme, with helpful introductions to each chapter, a huge range of topics is covered. There is a comprehensiveindex.