The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution helped to make the world in which we live today. But what brought it about and why did it happen first in Britain? Political, economic and intellectual conditions would all contribute. But at the heart of the revolution was our use of energy. Coal was the fuel which kick-started the Industrial Revolution - and Britain was very fortunate to have plenty that could be easily mined. Britain had an advantage over other European countries because its mines were near the sea, so ships could carry coal cheaply to the most important market - London.

 The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes that occurred in the period from about 1760 to some time between 1820 and 1840. This transition included going from hand production methods to machines, new chemical manufacturing and iron production processes, improved efficiency of water power, the increasing use of steam power and development of machine tools. The transition also included the change from wood and other bio-fuels to coal. The Industrial revolution began in Britain and within a few decades spread to Western Europe and the United States. The Industrial Revolution marks a major turning point in history; almost every aspect of daily life was influenced in some way.

Major technological developments

The commencement of the Industrial Revolution is closely linked to a small number of innovations, beginning in the second half of the 18th century. By the 1830s the following gains had been made in important technologies: Textiles Steam power Iron making These represent three 'leading sectors', in which there were key innovations, which allowed the economic take off by which the Industrial Revolution is usually defined.

Metallurgy

 A major change in the metal industries during the era of the Industrial Revolution was the replacement of wood and other bio-fuels with coal. For a given amount of heat, coal required much less labor to mine than cutting wood, and coal was more abundant than wood. British iron manufacturers had used considerable amounts of imported iron to supplement native supplies. An improvement was made in the production of steel, which was an expensive commodity and used only where iron would not do, such as for the cutting edge of tools and for springs.

Mining
Coal mining in Britain, particularly in South Wales started early. Shaft mining was done in some areas, but the limiting factor was the problem of removing water. The introduction of the steam pump by Savery in 1698 and the Newcomen steam engine in 1712 greatly facilitated the removal of water and enabled shafts to be made deeper, enabling more coal to be extracted. Coal mining was very dangerous owing to the presence of firedamp in many coal seams. Conditions of work were very poor, with a high casualty rate from rock falls.

Machine tools

 The Industrial Revolution created a demand for metal parts used in machinery. This led to the development of several machine tools for cutting metal parts. Machines were built by various craftsmencarpenters made wooden framings, and smiths and turners made metal parts. Because of the difficulty of manipulating metal and the lack of machine tools, the use of metal was kept to a minimum. Wood framing had the disadvantage of changing dimensions with temperature and humidity, and the various joints tended to rack (work loose) over time. As the Industrial Revolution progressed, machines with metal parts and frames became more common, but they required machine tools to make them economically.

 The population of England and Wales, which had remained steady from 1700 to 1740, rose dramatically after 1740. The population of England had more than doubled in 1850 and, by 1901, had nearly doubled again.

Child labour

 The Industrial Revolution led to a population increase, but the chances of surviving childhood did not improve throughout the Industrial Revolution (although infant mortality rates were reduced markedly). There was still limited opportunity for education, and children were expected to work. Employers could pay a child less than an adult even though their productivity was comparable; Child labour had existed before the Industrial Revolution, but with the increase in population and education it became more visible. Many children were forced to work in relatively bad conditions for much lower pay than their elders, 1020% of an adult male's wage.