In 1851, the UK census introduced terms like "imbecile," "lunatic," and "deaf and dumb" to classify disabilities, reflecting the negative views towards disabled individuals during the Victorian Era. Despite this, these terms help us identify and explore the lived experiences of disabled individuals during this time. One such person was James F. Truscott, a Deaf man who became a successful photographer in Coalbrookdale.
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In a project made possible through a Headley Fellowship with Art Fund, a little-known part of our archive has been brought to light.
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From fountains to tomb railing and vases, take a look at what was being made.
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Clients included sculptors, engineers, builders, architects and district councils. Take a closer look at who was ordering ironwork from Coalbrookdale.
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’Many workmen and boys were dubbed with nicknames; here are just a few: Raspass, Magpie…Iron Mike, Teddy-lol-lol, Cottage Tom, Spot Tom and 6ft Tom…’ [Charles Peskin, c. 1900]
By the middle of the 19th century, the Coalbrookdale Company employed between 3,000 and 4,000 men. Little is known about them, although census and archival research has shed light on a handful. Below, you can meet a few of the workers who were directly referenced in the order archive.
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The Coalbrookdale Company relied on a team of skilled draughtsmen to produce special drawings called technical drawings. These drawings were used to make, display, and record the Company’s products.
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The Coalbrookdale Company was working with photographers as early as 1855 and had a dedicated photographic studio from at least 1862. The photography department took photographs of new iron products being made at the ironworks, as well as dealing with other printed material such as blueprints and trade catalogues.
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The mid-Victorian period was the age of imitation and reproduction. Every style from naturalism to Gothic and Classicism was revived in art, furnishings, metalwork and ceramics.
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In response to the relatively poor British designs on display at the Great Exhibition of 1851, the 'Science and Art Department' was established by the Board of Education in 1856, in South Kensington.
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Many students at the Coalbrookdale School of Art already worked in the industries of the Gorge, including the Coalbrookdale Company, Craven Dunnill & Co. and Maw & Co. These companies often paid for their employees to attend art classes, to learn their craft and develop their designing skills.
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6 February 2018 marked 100 years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which allowed women to vote in parliamentary elections for the first time.
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Many industrial workers living in the Gorge throughout the 18th and 19th centuries would disagree with this observation. Consistently poor conditions and wages resulted in strikes and riots as workers fought to improve conditions.
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