Consett

Consett is a town of 27,000 people, high on the edge of the Pennines in north-east Durham. In 1841, it was a village community of only 145, but about to become a boom town. Below the ground was coking coal and blackband iron ore. Nearby was limestone. These were the three ingredients needed for blast furnaces to produce iron and steel.

The town is perched on the steep eastern bank of the River Derwent and owes its origins to industrial development arising from lead mining in the area, together with the development of the steel industry in the Derwent Valley, which was initiated by immigrant German cutlers and sword-makers from Solingen, who settled in the village of Shotley Bridge (original home of Wilkinson Sword and now part of Consett) during the seventeenth century.

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Derwent Valley was the cradle of the British steel industry, helped by the easy availability of coal from Tyneside, and the import of high quality iron ore from Sweden via the port of Newcastle upon Tyne. However, following the invention of the Bessemer process in the nineteenth century, steel could be made from British iron ore (which was otherwise too heavily contaminated by phosphorus), and the Derwent Valley's geographical advantage was lost, allowing Sheffield to become the leading centre of the British steel industry.

1 Steel
2 Irish immigration
3 Consett today
4 Famous people from Consett
5 External links

[edit] Steel

The Consett Iron Company was established in 1840 by a small group of entrepreneurs who introduced the first blast furnaces. Over the next 100 years, the town became one of the world's leading steel-making towns, and for decades the name Consett was synonymous with iron and steel. Consett was the town that made the steel for Blackpool Tower and Britain's most famous nuclear submarines.

Steel dominated Consett visually and the town was renowned for images of its cooling towers and steel mills looming over terraced houses, as well as the pall of red dust that hung over the town. The dust was actually airborne iron oxide from the steel making plant. The Consett steel works provided jobs for 6,000 workers at its peak in the 1960s. But there was intense competition in the 1970s from both local competitors on Teesside and from abroad. Moves to close Consett came in the 1970s, despite local opposition. For several years, there were rumours and heated discussions over the future of the plant.

In 1980 the death knell sounded for the steel furnaces, and the Consett works closed with the loss of 3,700 jobs. It was a devastating blow to the town, not least because the unemployment rate in Consett was double the national average at 15%, and the works had been operating at a profit when it was closed.

The town became one of the worst unemployment blackspots in Britain, and the demolition of the works led to a massive hole in the heart of the town. To this day there is no permanent museum to the history of the steelworks, and its influence on Consett and its families over the generations has been quietly glossed over. Even the development plan implemented to re-build the town - Project Genesis - has a 'Year Zero' name which suggests there was nothing worthwhile before.

The closure of the British Steel works at Consett in 1980 marked the end of the Derwent Valley steel heritage, and the decline of the town of Consett. Regeneration in the 1990s, through Project Genesis, went some way to repair the damage done, and unemployment is now down to the national average, although economic inactivity due to long-term illness is high.

The last steel ingot from the Consett ironworks was made into a cross and is kept at St Mary's RC Church, Blackhill.

[edit] Irish immigration

If the steelworks figures large in Consett’s history, then the other key strand that has contributed to the town’s personality as it is today is Irish immigration.

From the earliest days of the Consett Iron Company in the 1840s, Consett attracted itinerant workers from Ireland, many of whom settled in the town. Names thought of as ‘typically Consett’ include Murphy, Donaghy, McBride and many others. Although people came from all over Ireland to settle in Consett, the majority came from the Northern counties, particularly County Tyrone.

Although Irish labour bolstered the workforce, it was rare that those of Irish descent reached any position of authority at 'the company' - except through Union routes or as Health & Safety reps - although this was an improvement on previous eras when it was common counsel that "if you call your son Paddy, he’ll never work at the steelworks".

Consett’s Irish heritage is noted today in its high Roman Catholic population – St Patrick’s RC church, in Victoria Road, has the largest Catholic congregation in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.

[edit] Consett today

Small and medium-sized businesses now provide most jobs in the area. Phileas Fogg Company (Co Durham), with its factory on the town's Number One Industrial Estate, were mildly famous in the mid-90s for their snack food "Made in Medomsley Road, Consett" television adverts.

Consett is well-known for its nightlife which attracts young visitors from all over the North East, especially on Friday and Saturday nights^{[citation needed]}. Although opinions differ as to whether this is a good thing for the town, the sight of revellers in T-shirts and mini-skirts has become as much a symbol of the town from the 80s to the present day as the cooling towers and red dust were in previous eras^{[citation needed]}. Several pubs have at least taken names that reflect the town's steel-making past - The Works, The Company, and The Company Row.

With the steelworks gone, visitors and inhabitants are beginning to realise the beauty of the picturesque views over the Derwent Valley, and Consett is becoming a popular place to live for commuters from Durham and Tyne & Wear looking for a taste of the country. New houses are springing up round the town like mushrooms ^{[citation needed]}.

The Derwent Reservoir is located just west of the town.

Since 2000 several new housing developments have taken place on the former Steel Works site and surrounding areas. Derwentside College has relocated to a new campus at Berry Edge and national retailers have moved into Hermiston Retail Park. There are plans for a new £20,000,000 sports complex, incorporating a swimming pool, regional tennis centre and new football stadium for Consett AFC (The Steelmen)[2]. There are also plans to build a new hotel complex and a second Retail Park within easy reach (walking distance) of the town centre.

Consett is home to The Empire, one of County Durham's oldest theatres. Recently refurbished, the theatre stages variety acts, plays and a Christmas pantomime. The theatre also screens blockbuster films at times when there are no live performances.

Politically, Consett is dominated by the Labour Party although a grouping of Derwentside Independents has grown in strength and is now the official opposition on Derwentside District Council. The town is part of the North West Durham Parliamentary Constituency represented by Labour MP, Hilary Armstrong. Armstrong has held the seat since 1987 and "inherited" the position from her father Ernest Armstrong. Prior to 1983, the town had its own Member of Parliament.

In the 2005 General Election, both Labour and the Conservatives suffered a swing to the Liberal Democrats who are beginning to get a foothold in the middle-class Shotley Bridge area. The Liberal Democrats moved from third to second place, although Hilary Armstrong retains a 5 figure majority in this safe Labour seat.

[edit] Famous people from Consett

Rowan Atkinson, star of the Blackadder and Mr. Bean comedy series. There is speculation that they both became interested in acting after visiting the Consett Empire Theatre, which was at the time owned by his grandfather. Unsurprisingly, many places in the North East of England claim Rowan as their own. Northumberland council alleges he hails from Stocksfield in Northumberland, for example. [3]
Susan Maughan, singer, who reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1962 with "Bobby's Girl".
Anthony Hutton, Big Brother 6 (2005) winner. [4]
Alan Campbell, the present MP for Tynemouth and government whip was born in the town.
Barry Venison - retired footballer and pundit.
Matthew Tait - England and Newcastle Falcons Rugby Union player. Born in Consett but brought up in the nearby town of Wolsingham
Alun Armstrong - actor and singer, acting in shows such as The Mummy playing Baltus Hafez, New Tricks and Van Helsing