Consett
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| Consett | |
|
Consett shown within County Durham | |
| Population | 27,394 (2001)[1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| District | Derwentside |
| Shire county | County Durham |
| Region | North East |
| Constituent country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CONSETT |
| Postcode district | DH8 |
| Dialling code | 01207 |
| Police | Durham |
| Fire | County Durham and Darlington |
| Ambulance | North East |
| UK Parliament | North West Durham |
| European Parliament | North East England |
| List of places: UK • England • County Durham | |
- See also: Consett (UK Parliament constituency)
Consett is a medium-sized town in the northwest of County Durham, England, and is the administrative centre of the district of Derwentside.
Consett is a town of 27,000 people, high on the edge of the Pennines in north-west Durham. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but it was about to become a boom town. Below the ground was coking coal and blackband iron ore. Nearby was limestone. These were the three ingredients needed for blast furnaces to produce iron and steel.
The town is perched on the steep eastern bank of the River Derwent and owes its origins to industrial development arising from lead mining in the area, together with the development of the steel industry in the Derwent Valley, which was initiated by immigrant German cutlers and sword-makers from Solingen, who settled in the village of Shotley Bridge (original home of Wilkinson Sword and now part of Consett) during the seventeenth century.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Derwent Valley was the cradle of the British steel industry, helped by the easy availability of coal from Tyneside, and the import of high quality iron ore from Sweden via the port of Newcastle upon Tyne. However, following the invention of the Bessemer process in the nineteenth century, steel could be made from British iron ore (which was otherwise too heavily contaminated by phosphorus), and the Derwent Valley's geographical advantage was lost, allowing Sheffield to become the leading centre of the British steel industry.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Steel
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The Consett Iron Company was established in 1840 by a small group of entrepreneurs who introduced the first blast furnaces. Albeit with managerial changes (the Iron Works went bust in the 1860s), over the next 100 years, the town became one of the world's leading steel-making towns, and for decades the name Consett was synonymous with iron and steel. Consett was the town that made the steel for Sydney Harbour Bridge [2], Blackpool Tower and Britain's most famous nuclear submarines [3].
Steel dominated Consett visually and the town was renowned for images of its cooling towers and steel mills looming over terraced houses, as well as the pall of red dust that hung over the town. The dust was actually airborne iron oxide from the steel making plant. The Consett steel works provided jobs for 6,000 workers at its peak in the 1960s. In the late 1960s it was forcibly nationalised and became part of the large British Steel corporation. There was intense competition in the 1970s from both local competitors on Teesside and from abroad. Moves to close Consett came in the 1970s, despite local opposition. For several years, there were rumours and heated discussions over the future of the plant.
In 1980 the death knell sounded for the steel furnaces, and the Consett works closed with the loss of 3,700 jobs. It was a devastating blow to the town, not least because the unemployment rate in Consett was double the national average at 15%, and the works had shown a small profit in the previous year before the closure was announced. This closure was part of the strategy of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative Government's strategy to revitalise UK industry[citation needed],following the seriously damaging and crippling industrial action that had taken place in the UK in the 1970s. However, the decision ripped the heart out of the local community. The steelworks had always avoided closure even in quite difficult economic times. The social impact of the devastating decision from Whitehall cannot be underestimated. This was often characterised as "The Murder of a Town"[citation needed]
The town became one of the worst unemployment blackspots in Britain which hit 36 percent in 1981, and the demolition of the works led to a massive hole in the heart of the town. The demolition of the works was very thorough, and even the most imposing architecturally important building in the town, the Company Offices, was not left untouched. To this day there is no permanent museum to the history of the steelworks, and its influence on Consett and its families over the generations has been quietly glossed over. Even the development plan implemented to re-build the town - Project Genesis - has a 'Year Zero' name which suggests there was nothing worthwhile before[citation needed].
The closure of the British Steel works at Consett in 1980 marked the end of the Derwent Valley steel heritage, and the decline of the town of Consett. Regeneration in the 1990s, through Project Genesis, went some way to repair the damage done, and unemployment is now down to the national average, although economic inactivity due to long-term illness is high[citation needed].
The last steel ingot from the Consett ironworks was made into a cross and is kept at St Mary's RC Church, Blackhill.
[edit] Immigration
If the steelworks figures large in Consett’s history, then the another key strand that contributed to the town’s growth and personality as it is today is Immigration, as evidenced by the original Swordmakers of Shotley Bridge being from Germany.
In the 1840s, The Ironworks, coal mines and railways generated a huge need for workers. This was met by workers from other parts of the UK and further afield. Skilled British workers are noted to have come in large numbers from places such as Cornwall and Staffordshire. One of the earliest streets in Consett was even named "Staffordshire Row" (now demolished) in reverence to the original home of many of its first residents.
Irish immigration is another major feature. From the earliest days of the Consett Iron Company in the 1840s, Consett attracted itinerant workers from Ireland, many of whom settled in the town. Names thought of as ‘typically Consett’ include Murphy, Donaghy, McBride and many others[citation needed]. Although people came from all over Ireland to settle in Consett, the majority came from the Northern counties, particularly County Tyrone[citation needed].
Although Irish labour bolstered the workforce, in the beginning they caused resentment to the existing residents as they accepted lower wages. In its earliest days Consett was quite a segregated town, with Blackhill being mainly Irish, and Consett itself being mainly English. It was rare that those of Irish descent reached any position of authority at 'the company'[citation needed] - except through Union routes or as Health & Safety reps - although this was an improvement on previous eras when it was common counsel that "if you call your son Paddy, he’ll never work at the steelworks"[citation needed].
Consett’s Irish heritage is noted today in its high Roman Catholic population[citation needed] – St Patrick’s RC church, in Victoria Road, has the largest Catholic congregation in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
Latterly, with Poland joining the European Union in 2004, Consett has become a focus for Polish Immigration, with a large Polish network now existing in the town[citation needed].
[edit] Governance
Politically, Consett is dominated by the Labour Party although a grouping of Derwentside Independents has grown in strength and is now the official opposition on Derwentside District Council. The town is part of the North West Durham Parliamentary Constituency represented by Labour MP, Hilary Armstrong. Armstrong has held the seat since 1987 and "inherited" the position from her father Ernest Armstrong. Prior to 1983, the town had its own Member of Parliament.
In the 2005 General Election, both Labour and the Conservatives suffered a swing to the Liberal Democrats who are beginning to get a foothold in the middle-class Shotley Bridge area. The Liberal Democrats moved from third to second place, although Hilary Armstrong retains a 5 figure majority in this safe Labour seat.
[edit] Geography
| Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (December 2007) |
The Derwent Reservoir is located just west of the town.
[edit] Economy
Small and medium-sized businesses now provide most jobs in the area. Phileas Fogg Company (Co Durham), with its factory on the town's Number One Industrial Estate, were mildly famous for a few years from 1988 for their snack food "Made in Medomsley Road, Consett" television adverts. The Phileas Fogg Company is now owned by KP Snacks as part of United Biscuits.
Since 2000 several new housing developments have taken place on the former Steel Works site and surrounding areas. Derwentside College has relocated to a new campus at Berry Edge and national retailers have moved into Hermiston Retail Park. There are also plans to build a new hotel complex and a second Retail Park within easy reach (walking distance) of the town centre[citation needed].
[edit] Culture
Consett was the first town in the World to have a Salvation Army Corps Band. The band was formed in December 1879 and went out on the streets playing at Christmas. The original band consisted of just four players, Bandmaster Edward Lennox, and Bandsmen George Storey, James Simpson and Robert Greenwood.[4]
Consett is home to The Empire, one of County Durham's oldest theatres. Recently refurbished, the theatre stages variety acts, plays and a Christmas pantomime. The theatre also screens blockbuster films at times when there are no live performances.
Several pubs have at least taken names that reflect the town's steel-making past - The Works, The Company, and The Company Row. With the steelworks gone, visitors and inhabitants are beginning to realise the beauty of the picturesque views over the Derwent Valley, and Consett is becoming a popular place to live for commuters from Durham and Tyne & Wear looking for a taste of the country.
[edit] Sport
There are plans for a new £20,000,000 sports complex, incorporating a swimming pool, regional tennis centre and new football stadium for Consett A.F.C. (The Steelmen)[citation needed].
[edit] Notable people
- Rowan Atkinson, star of the Blackadder and Mr. Bean comedy series.[5] There is speculation that he became interested in acting after visiting the Consett Empire Theatre, which was at the time owned by his grandfather[citation needed]. However, a number of other places in the North East of England also make this claim.
- Denise Welch, ex-star of Coronation Street and Soldier Soldier drama series. Married to Tim Healy and now starring in Waterloo Road on BBC1.
- Susan Maughan, singer, who reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1962 with "Bobby's Girl".
- Alan Campbell, the present MP for Tynemouth and government whip was born in the town.
- Barry Venison - retired footballer and pundit.
- Alan Heath - publisher and historian.
- Mathew Tait - England and Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union player. Born in Consett but brought up in the nearby town of Wolsingham
- Paul Collingwood, England and Durham cricketer, born in Shotley Bridge
- Bob Murray, Kitchen & bathroom magnate and former chairman of Sunderland AFC
- Paul Creegan, semiprofessional footballer, started his club career at Wallsend Boys Club before moving to Consett FC. Aspires to play for Newcastle United
- Steve Thompson, Songwriter, Producer. website. Born 1952 at the Grove. Served apprenticeship in the steelworks and began performing career at the Freemasons Arms with Consett band, Bullfrog. Later left the Steelworks and the area to begin a successful career in the music industry. Returned briefly in 2000 to the Empire Theatre with a musical entitled Steeltown
- Alun Armstrong - Original cast member of Les Misérables, playing Monsieur Thénardier. Also in New Tricks and The Mummy Returns.
[edit] References
- ^ 2001 Census Profiles (Numbers) for Major Centres in County Durham, Durham County Council, Retrieved on 2007-08-10
- ^ "Works crucible was part of our heritage, say residents", The Northern Echo, 2003-07-12. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
- ^ Nation on Film - Steel Towns From Boom To Bust, BBC. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
- ^ Salvation Army Firsts,Salvation Army Collectables. Retrieved on 2007-12-16.
- ^ Barratt, Nick. "Family Detective - Rowan Atkinson", The Daily Telegraph, 25 August 2007.
[edit] External links
Ceremonial county of County Durham | |
|---|---|
| North East England Portal | |
| Unitary authorities | Borough of Darlington · Borough of Hartlepool · Borough of Stockton-on-Tees |
| Boroughs or districts | District of Chester-le-Street · District of Derwentside · City of Durham · District of Easington · Borough of Sedgefield · District of Teesdale · District of Wear Valley |
| Cities and towns | Barnard Castle · Billingham · Bishop Auckland · Chester-le-Street · Consett · Crook · Darlington · Durham · Eaglescliffe · Easingon · Ferryhill · Hartlepool · Newton Aycliffe · Peterlee · Seaham · Sedgefield · Shildon · Spennymoor · Stanley · Stockton-on-Tees · Willington See also: List of civil parishes in County Durham |
| Topics | Parliamentary constituencies · Places |
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Categories: Articles lacking sources from December 2007 | All articles lacking sources | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since August 2007 | Articles with unsourced statements since December 2007 | Articles to be expanded since December 2007 | All articles to be expanded | Towns in County Durham | Ironworks and steelworks in England
