The Early Sheffield Saw Trade and its relations with Birmingham FREE

A lecture by Simon Barley.

Early British saw making expanded from London to Birmingham in the first half of the eighteen century, and then to Sheffield in the 1750s. As there were no skilled saw makers there, its entrepreneurs had to import men (and their families) from the West Midlands. Unique documents throw light on how this recruitment was achieved and suggest why Sheffield became the world’s largest centre of the trade only 50 years later.

The speaker has researched saw manufacture in some detail but tonight he will vary his usual presentation by emphasising the links and contrasts between the saw industries of Birmingham and Sheffield, especially in the 18th century.

Everybody's welcome to this Newcomen Society event. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month (October to April) in the Thinktank Theatre, which is on level 2 in Thinktank, the Birmingham Science Museum at Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham B4 7XG. Doors open at 6.30pm for the meetings at 7pm. There is a pay-bar which may be serving snacks and drinks in the building before the meeting. Visitors are welcome and admission is free.

Please note that there are currently street closures in the vicinity of Millennium Point. The new Millennium Point multi-storey car park, operated by Birmingham City Council, is accessed from Jennens Road. Pedestrians from the City Centre should also approach via the Jennens Road entrance.