ABSTRACT

As early as the 1871 census, however, some depression of local trades and consequent migration was noted? By the twentieth century, only some specialist nails were still hand wrought in the Dudley area, although the handmade chain industry survived in the wider district. On the whole, though, machine production devastated the numerical strength of the labour force in these sectors of the iron industry.8 Furthermore, towards the end of the nineteenth century, the gradual exhaustion of the Black Country's mineral resources, increased domestic and foreign competition with its iron-works, and the old-fashioned cottage nature of its

1 British Association for the Advancement of Science, Birmingham and its Regional Setting: A Scientific Survey, (Birmingham, 1950), p. 132. 2 British Association, Birmingham, pp. 155-156. 3 Freeman, T.W., The Conurbations of Great Britain, (Manchester, 1959), pp. 75, 77 and 81; Allen, G.C., The Industrial Development of Birmingham and the Black Country, 18601927, (London, 1929), pp. 93-95. 4 Allen, The Industrial Development, p. 87; West Midland Group on Post-War Reconstruction and Planning, Conurbation: A Survey of Birmingham and the Black Country, (London, 1948), p. 258. With its gradual exhaustion after 1860, the Dudley coalfield was usually referred to as the South Staffordshire coalfield. S British Association, Birmingham, pp. 202 and 204. 6 Fogarty, M.P., Prospects of the Industrial Areas of Great Britain, (London, 1945), pp. 339 and 341; Allen, The Industrial Development, pp. 75 and 98. 7 Freeman, The Conurbations of Great Britain, p. 83. 8 British Association, Birmingham, p. 238.