Testo terza fonte, Clark University, F. Walker
Pagine 180-181:
Local zinc first became important during the 17th century when it was used in manufacture of brass along with Cornish copper which could be bought very cheaply at the period as a bye-product of the gold, silver and tin mining and which was easily shipped to It was during the 18th century however that manufacture of lead, brass and zinc developed most rapidly in Bristol.
By the middle of the century there was a large lead-producing plant near Hotwells and in 1752 the making of lead shot was commenced in Bristol and still remains as a specialised local industry.
The large scale production of zinc commenced in 1743 at Warmley, whilst Cornish copper was smelted in Bristol to supply the local brass in dustry which in the later half of the century expanded to such an extent that it was producing half the total British output of brass wire.
In the 20th century production and use of brass and copper has declined though there are still a number of firms in Bristol engaged in the trade. Expansion of the non-ferrous metal industry has therefore been largely due to increased production of other metals and metal salts including aluminum sulphate, lead, antimonial lead, tin, zinc, solder alloys, antimony, cadmium, cadmium-nickel and other anti-friction bearing metals, calcium-aluminum and copper sulphate and derivatives.
The expansion has been due in part to changes of metal lurgical technique in recent times with its increased use of new metals and of light metal alloys and the great development of the use of non-ferrous metals in alloy steels. In war-time the expansion has been even more marked and employ ment in the industry has increased from approximately 2,000 to almost 3,000, though it may be a temporary phenomenon.
However it will be seen later that in the 19th and 20th centuries there has been a great growth of engineering and metal working industries in the Bristol region which has con tributed, perhaps more permanently, to the prosperity of the local non-ferrous metal trade, which in turn supplies bearing metals, solders and small cast ings to the engineering industry, zinc for the very extensive Bristol trade of galvanising and tin for the tinplate industry, whilst one branch of the non ferrous industry has specialised in the production of type-metal for the print ing trades.
The industry was formerly centred in the city itself and in the Warmley district of Gloucestershire which adjoins the city on the east; in recent times the establishment of the very large plant of the Imperial Smelting Corporation and its subsidiaries at Avonmouth has altered distribution com pletely and of the 2,000 employees in the industry before the war more than half were employed by this group of companies.
The site of the works immediately north of the main dock at Avonmouth was a natural choice since they depend largely on imported zinc concentrates and other ores which can be transferred by overhead ropeway from the dock-side to the factory, whilst at the same time extensive areas of suitable land for large scale industrial development were, and still are, available in this coastal tract north of the Avon.
The activities of the subsidiaries of the Imperial Smelting Corporation form a link with the next of the Bristol in dustries, since these concerns, in addition to their metallurgical products, specialise in the manufacture of several categories of heavy chemicals, including large quantities of sulphuric and hydro chloric acid, fertilizers, wood and fabric preservatives, aluminum sulphate and other chemicals associated with the cor poration's metal production.
The only other large scale producer of heavy chemicals in Bristol is also a branch of a large corporation, the I.C.I., whose works at Netham, on the east side of Bristol, produce, in addition to acids and soda, ammonium chloride which is used in the galvanising industry, salam moniac and other general chemicals.
Local zinc first became important during the 17th century when it was used in manufacture of brass along with Cornish copper which could be bought very cheaply at the period as a bye-product of the gold, silver and tin mining and which was easily shipped to It was during the 18th century however that manufacture of lead, brass and zinc developed most rapidly in Bristol.
By the middle of the century there was a large lead-producing plant near Hotwells and in 1752 the making of lead shot was commenced in Bristol and still remains as a specialised local industry.
The large scale production of zinc commenced in 1743 at Warmley, whilst Cornish copper was smelted in Bristol to supply the local brass in dustry which in the later half of the century expanded to such an extent that it was producing half the total British output of brass wire.
In the 20th century production and use of brass and copper has declined though there are still a number of firms in Bristol engaged in the trade. Expansion of the non-ferrous metal industry has therefore been largely due to increased production of other metals and metal salts including aluminum sulphate, lead, antimonial lead, tin, zinc, solder alloys, antimony, cadmium, cadmium-nickel and other anti-friction bearing metals, calcium-aluminum and copper sulphate and derivatives.
The expansion has been due in part to changes of metal lurgical technique in recent times with its increased use of new metals and of light metal alloys and the great development of the use of non-ferrous metals in alloy steels. In war-time the expansion has been even more marked and employ ment in the industry has increased from approximately 2,000 to almost 3,000, though it may be a temporary phenomenon.
However it will be seen later that in the 19th and 20th centuries there has been a great growth of engineering and metal working industries in the Bristol region which has con tributed, perhaps more permanently, to the prosperity of the local non-ferrous metal trade, which in turn supplies bearing metals, solders and small cast ings to the engineering industry, zinc for the very extensive Bristol trade of galvanising and tin for the tinplate industry, whilst one branch of the non ferrous industry has specialised in the production of type-metal for the print ing trades.
The industry was formerly centred in the city itself and in the Warmley district of Gloucestershire which adjoins the city on the east; in recent times the establishment of the very large plant of the Imperial Smelting Corporation and its subsidiaries at Avonmouth has altered distribution com pletely and of the 2,000 employees in the industry before the war more than half were employed by this group of companies.
The site of the works immediately north of the main dock at Avonmouth was a natural choice since they depend largely on imported zinc concentrates and other ores which can be transferred by overhead ropeway from the dock-side to the factory, whilst at the same time extensive areas of suitable land for large scale industrial development were, and still are, available in this coastal tract north of the Avon.
The activities of the subsidiaries of the Imperial Smelting Corporation form a link with the next of the Bristol in dustries, since these concerns, in addition to their metallurgical products, specialise in the manufacture of several categories of heavy chemicals, including large quantities of sulphuric and hydro chloric acid, fertilizers, wood and fabric preservatives, aluminum sulphate and other chemicals associated with the cor poration's metal production.
The only other large scale producer of heavy chemicals in Bristol is also a branch of a large corporation, the I.C.I., whose works at Netham, on the east side of Bristol, produce, in addition to acids and soda, ammonium chloride which is used in the galvanising industry, salam moniac and other general chemicals.
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