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 1840-1850 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 and in operation to 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.
