History of Kirkstall Forge through Seven Centuries, 1200-1954. The story of England's oldest ironworks

Notes:

First published 1945. Reprinted 1975. Written by a senior executive of the firm. Narrative account of the Forge since its earliest days and of the business from the late 18th century. Its 21 chapters include: 'Early centuries and the Spencer Combine, 1151-1779'; 'The coming of the Butlers, 1779'; 'The Forge is developed, 1785-92'; 'Thomas Butler visits the Continent, 1789'; 'Transport in the early days, 1796'; 'We open trade with America, 1794-1810'; 'Some correspondence, 1796-98'; 'The Napoleonic Wars, 1796-99'; 'A wedding - Iron Masters' Federation, 1798-1813'; 'The Calder Ironworks, 1803-15'; 'Family changes - more records of travel, 1808-18'; 'Works organisation in the early 19th century, 1818-32'; 'Expansion of the axle trade and the commencement of a new generation, 1835-41'; 'J O Butler starts the Engineering Department, 1841-67'; 'G S Beecroft retires - a visit from the Countess of Cardigan, 1855-76'; 'The great crisis, 1875-83'; 'The introduction of Bright Drawn Steel Bars, 1882-92'; 'The Butlers buy the Forge and effect further improvements - the battle for the best Yorkshire iron, 1893-1906'; 'We become a limited company - the 1914-1918 War, 1907-19'; 'Recent years, 1919-53'; 'The Australian venture, 1808-1953'. Extensive appendices include: Account of Thomas Butler's and Edmund Buckley's tour of ironworks in Staffordshire and Shropshire in 1815 [pp242-9]; 'List of iron furnaces in blast in 1815 and 1825 with some output figures - Staffordshire, Shropshire, Bradford, Sheffield, Derbyshire; Extract from 1853 contract for supply of steam engines; Summary of numbers of employees organised by department