Whilst the abundance of raw materials and the innovations of industrialists and entrepreneurs sparked industry in the Gorge, it was the ordinary workers who drove it forward and made it possible for this area to become ‘the most extraordinary district in the world’.
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The role of women in industrial history has often been overlooked, forgotten, or hidden. Yet thousands of women worked in industry across the Ironbridge Gorge, as well as industries across Britain. All these women made a vital contribution to the nation’s industrial past.
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Just like today, the amount of money earned for a day’s labour was often a sensitive issue.
For a greater level of skill or a greater risk of danger, as in ironworking and mining, workers would sometimes receive higher than average wages. However, wages could be affected by both booms and severe depressions in trade.
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