Rotherham: A Potted History

Rotherham’s history dates back to a Roman fort by the River Don, through its mining and industrial past, particularly its steelworks, to today’s busy town in Yorkshire. In the Middle Ages, much of the area around Rotherham was deer parks owned by local lords, and traditional crafts such as coppicing, charcoal burning, milling and tanning were practised by the community. Coal mining, iron production and glass-making were also local industries and these expanded enormously in the Industrial Revolution; mining from the Barnsley seam began between 1840 and 1850 and continued to expand to other coal seams in the years following. Safety standards at the time were lacking and many coal mining disasters happened in the area. The largest steelworks was Templeborough, opened in 1916 to satisfy demand in the First World War and in operation until 1993. Alongside the industrial growth in Rotherham, civic building expanded, with the first public library opening in 1728. Illustrated throughout, this accessible historical portrait of the transformation that Rotherham has undergone through the ages will be of great interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the town.