Shropshire Routes to Roots

Industrial development: Timeline

Timewords

The roots of the Industrial Revolution were sewn several hundred million years ago, when mineral rocks were formed under the earth. The lead seams of Shropshire were first mined during the Roman occupation, but it was not until the end of the eighteenth century that industry started to take off in England.

Traditionally, the Industrial Revolution has been seen as lasting from the 1750s through to the end of the nineteenth century. However, many historians argue about whether the Industrial Revolution is the right word to use. Many suggest that industry increased gradually and naturally, rather than because of a single development - it was a case of industrial 'evolution', not 'revolution'.

Mines in Shropshire were still heavily worked until the middle of the twentieth century. Today, we are living in a period known as the technological revolution or the information age, as communications, computers and the internet change the way we work and live.