Where it all began
THERE are many places across the country that claim to be the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and while, in truth, it is impossible to pick out a single location, the Black Country is a strong contender – particularly the Soho Manufactory on the edge of Smethwick.
A new book, The Soho Manufactory, Mint and Foundry, West Midlands by George Demidowicz, published by Historic England and Liverpool University Press, is the most comprehensive study of that historic location to date.
Historic
The Soho Manufactory (1761-1863) and Soho Mint (1788-1850s) were both situated in the historic parish of Handsworth, now in the city of Birmingham, and the Soho Foundry (1795-1895) lay in the historic township of Smethwick, now within Sandwell Metropolitan Borough. Together they played a key role in the Industrial Revolution, achieving many world ‘firsts’: the first working Watt steam engine, the first steam-engine powered mint and the first purpose-built steam engine manufactory (the
Soho Foundry), to name but a few.
George Demidowicz is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of History, University of Birmingham. In his introduction he writes:
“The name Soho is a useful shorthand for the people and the products, but it was also a physical place, or more accurately three: the Soho Manufactory, the Soho Mint and the Soho Foundry. There is a vast written output on th Soho personalities and, in particular, the triumvirate of Matthew Boulton, James Watt and William Murdoch. Likewise, the attention of scholars of wide interests and expertise has been attracted to the staggering and uniquely wide range of products that originated from the three sites: steam engines, gas plants, coins and commemorative medals, silverware, plated ware and ormolu for townhouse and mansion, buttons, buckles and myriad other personal adornments, and wear such as sword hilts, watch chains, chatelaines, cane heads and snuff boxes.”
The book takes a new approach in investigating the history of Soho, concentrating on the buildings themselves, analysing not only their physical origins, development and eventual decline but also the water and steam power systems adopted. An interdisciplinary approach is used, combining archival research in the Soho collection at the Library of Birmingham with the results of archaeological excavations, notably those that took place in 1996 and filmed by the Channel 4 Time Team programme, which fixed the exact locations of the Manufactory and Mint accurately for the first time.
Remains
Today, nothing is to be seen of the Manufactory and the Mint, while Boulton’s home, Soho House, has survived. However, there are substantial remains below ground of the Mint and Manufactory. Much of the Soho Foundry has also survived as part of the former W.T. Avery works, on the Birmingham Canal, about a mile north-east of the cenre of Smethwick.
Demidowicz’s book explores the full history of the three sites and their world-wide significance and is richly illustrated
with archival material, most published for the first time, and a large number of reconstruction
plans and drawings by the author.
The Soho Manufactory, Mint and Foundry, West
Midlands by George Full details and buying Demidowicz is available options can be found at in hardback or as an www.liverpooluniversity ebook, both priced at £40. press.co.uk