Chain and Anchor Making in the Black Country

For two centuries, England led the world in the manufacture of chain and anchors, and at the end of the nineteenth century the majority of all the chain workshops in England and Wales were based in the Black Country, notably Cradley, Cradley Heath, Old Hill, Quarry Bank and Netherton. Most of the chainshops were very small (many of them were to be found in the backyards of the workers'' houses), and a large number of the chain makers were women.

The largest firm was Noah Hingley''s, which manufactured the anchors and anchor cables of the ill-fated Titanic, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1912, while Samuel Taylor of Brierley Hill forged the anchors for the famous Cunard Queen liners. Including personal reminiscences, photographs and sketches, Chain and Anchor Making in the Black Country is a fascinating and authoritative record of this largely vanished industry. This book will appeal to anyone interested in the Black Country or in this important part of its history.

Ron Moss is a toolmaker, engineer and draughtsman - as well as the author of two books about Cradley Heath (his home town) for SPL. Ron is the leading authority on the Black Country chain industry, and lectures on the subject all over Britain.