Steel City - a photo on Flickriver

Steel City

            This steel footbridge in Sheffield, England, carries pedestrians from Park Square to Ponds Forge International Sports Centre - a modern development on the site of a former steelworks. Sheffield – aka "Steel City" – was once the steel-making capital of the world and has a rich history of technological development and expertise.

Sheffield's steel production began around the 14th century and was very small scale at first, with self-employed craftsmen making cutlery, tools and other smaller items from start to finish. By the 18th century, demand was growing fast and production needed to change to keep up. With the invention of the crucible steel process in 1742 by local manufacturer Benjamin Huntsman, production was revolutionised and Sheffield went from small township to leading European industrial city. In the 100 years that followed, its annual steel production rose from 200 tonnes to 80,000 tonnes; almost half Europe's total production.

In 1856, Henry Bessemer's converter furnace took things further, enabling mass production of cheap refined steel for railway parts, armour plating and construction. The "Bessemer boom" sent Sheffield steel global. In 1871, America was importing over three times as much rail track from Sheffield as it made domestically.

Sheffield-based chemist Harry Brearley invented stainless steel in 1912. In 1924, Dr W. H. Hatfield, from the same laboratory, created "18/8" – probably today's most commonly used stainless steel.

During both World Wars, Sheffield played a central role in arming the military, its strategic importance making it a bombing target. With men away fighting, women took over the city's steelworks, including munition production – something commemorated by Sheffield's "Women of Steel" statue, unveiled in 2016.

During the 1970s, market downturn caused several Sheffield steelworks to close. The Thatcher years had a devastating impact, with further recession, warring between government and unions, and ultimately British Steel's second and final privatisation. Sheffield lost more than 50,000 steel and engineering jobs between 1980 and 1983. The industry suffered further since the 2008 crash owing to lower demand, rising energy prices, a strong pound and China's alleged "steel dumping". Amid a flurry of high profile plant closures, Forgemasters, currently Sheffield's biggest steel employer, announced 100 redundancies from its 630-strong workforce in 2016.

These days, Sheffield's steel industry (employing around 2,600 in 2016) focuses largely on specialist trade. Despite the loss of much of the heavy engineering and large scale production, in 2005, the industry produced more steel per year by value than at any other time in its history. International buyers – particularly from the US – are still drawn to the quality and heritage of tools and cutlery made from Sheffield steel.

Taken on: March 6, 2022

Tags:

Sheffield

England

Yorkshire

Steel City

Architecture

Structural steel

Footbridge

Construction

City

Urban

Long exposure

Black & white

B&W

Ponds Forge

Fine art

bestcapturesaoi

elitegalleryaoi

aoi

Extreme neutral density

ND16

ND filter « less

Sets appears in: • B&W Fine Art Architecture • Explored

Groups appears in: • England • Long Exposure more » • canon photography • The Light Fantastic • Wide-angle • Yorkshire • Neutral Density Filters • Black & White Digital • I Love Black and White! • Very Long Exposure (30 seconds or more) • Urban ND • yorkshire based photographers • World of B&W + Sepia & other monochrome • Longer Exposure, Extreme Neutral Density • Daytime Long Exposures • Fine Art Photography™ • Urban - Photography • High-Contrast Black & White (No Color, No Sepia) • Sheffield Buildings • Art of Images ~ AOI L1~ ( Post 1, Award 3) NO "AI Portraits" • Quality Black & White Images • Architectural Beauty ! • Sheffield is_ • Engineering as Art • The Best Captures AOI~AOI L2~ Admin Invite) (P1-Award & Fave3) • !Art and Photography (seriously18+) INVITE ONLY • Art of Architecture • Long Shutter Exposures • Structures with a touch of Abstract (architecture!) post1/award2 • UWA - Ultra Wide Angle • Living in Black and White Photography • Images of Sheffield • ✣ Sin City ✣ Moderated & Curated • Black & White Master Photos - P 1 A 1 • Black and White Photography Art • The Elite Gallery AOI~AOI L3~(Admin Invite) (NEW RULES) • UNDER THE SIGN OF THE WHITE ROSE (Admin Invite Only ) • The Art of the Long Exposure Land/Sea Scape (Admin inv) P1 C1 • Photo Infos • ART of ARCHITECTURE (P1/C1) • !Best Black-and-White Images Ever (P1/A2) • Black & White Long Exposures • B+W Long Exposure • B+W Long Exposure Fine Art 25+ Faves • **Masterclass Exhibition** Admin Invite Only Level 2 P-1/A-3 • La Crème de La Crème • ■□ monochrome Level 1 (P1/A4) NO FRAMES • Urban Exploration Yorkshire. • Whatever...(moderated) • Rotherham Photographers • Prestige Photography (Admin invited image only) • Masters of Black and White Photography. • The Long Exposure • Black Rose Dragon Award (P1 A3) • **Optical Excellence Level 1 ~ Admin Moderated • The New**Perfection In Pictures** ( Sweeper) • **The New Masterclass** Level 1 *Admin Invite Only* P1- A3 • Masters of creative photography. NO AI • Prestige Photography - Masterpieces • Prestige Photography - The very best • B&W Architectural Photography • Bulb Mode Gallery • Optical Excellence ~ The Very Best Level 2 • urban being - the world we built and live in (HQ) • in explore • Art of Monochrome • PLATINUM GALLERY The Highest Achievement • THE B&W GURUS (No 30/60 Limit) • Prestige Photography - Hall of Fame • ■□ monochrome Level 2 (P1/A4) • Power of Photography - Level 1 (Award 2) • Architecture Unlimited • ■□ monochrome Level 3 (P1/A4) • Your Perspective and Creative • ARTBWBTRA - ART IN BLACK AND WHITE - SELECTIVE COLOR - MONOTONE • the MSA b&w - collection / post 1-award 2 • LUNA PHOTOS - (P1 - A2) • Best Photo of the Day! - No AI Images • High Class Photography (invite only) • Exquisite Imagery.... Submit your BEST for invite • The Ethereal Long Exposure Group. • Club of Elite ( 10.000+ views ) P1 - AW. 4 • GALERIE black + white stars ★✩★✩★ • PASSION for Photography L1 - Award 2 • !! * Finest Photoart * !! Admin Invite Only • h y p n o s i s w a v e • COLOUR-BLIND • CSSS: Earth - My Perspective, A Personal Focus • Architecture Symmetry Lvl 1 Post 1 Award 5 • LEMAG - Long Exposure And Fine Art Magazine • PORFOLIO GEOMETRÍAS • Architectural Excellence • La quête du "GRAAL" (P1 A2) Sweeper • CSSS: Earth - Urban Skyscapes • Heliopolis • *The Moody Moodpepper* ( Admin invite only) • Coole & moderne Architektur • Dark Atmosphere . • HELMET's CHOICE INTERNATIONAL • B&W Lifestyle • PhotoParagon Level 1 50+Fav's Obligatory Post 1 Award/Fav 5 • COMPLEXcity • B&W - MoVeS - invite only • The Black and White Creations • A Picture, A Story, A Pearl • Architecture & Design (PdF) • A Pleasant Shade of Grey • Show your EXIF • Exquisite Imagery B & W • Fantastic Photos Level 1 (Award 2) • Fantastic Photos Level 2 (P1-A3) • CSSS: Clouds / Black White Monochrome (ONLY) • - Restless Mind - « less

Camera: Canon EOS 90D, f/9.0, 360 sec, 12mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 90D
Lens:	EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
Aperture:	f/9.0
Exposure Time:	360
Focal Length:	12mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Bulb
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Partial
White Balance:	Manual
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 23.2 (Macintosh)
Show full info

Stats: 22,397 views / 409 comments