Shelton Iron & Steel Works - from Etruria Park

photo: c.1968 Ken & Joan Davis

"With the disappearance of the Etruria Grove and, later, the final decay of all vegetation in Etruria, it was decided to open a park there!

On Thursday, September 29th, 1904, the opening ceremony was performed and the Etruscans at last had their own park, although a dozen years had elapsed since the Corporation of Hanley had purchased the land - eleven acres - at a cost of four thousand seven hundred and nineteen pounds, seventeen shillings and sevenpence.
Mr. Robert Thompson, F.R.H.S., Parks Superintendent, put much good work into the park, covering it with springy turf, young trees and shrubs.
A carriage drive was made from the main gates and the park now possesses a good bowling green and tennis courts..........

To the several thousands attending the opening ceremony in delightful weather, all was new and beautiful. Alderman Shirley presented the Mayor with a silver-gilt key, with which he opened the gates, while the Mayoress turned on the fountain and drank to the success of the new Park."

"History of Etruria" E J D Warrillow

more on Etruria Park

the furnaces of the Shelton works dominate the houses in this 1970 photo

photo: c.1970 Ken & Joan Davis

In 1841 4th Earl Granville began to produce pig iron by smelting locally mined ironstone. Much of the pig from the blast furnaces at Earl Granville's "Shelton Coal & Iron Works" was converted into wrought (malleable) iron in the puddling furnaces of an adjacent, but nominally separate business, the Shelton Bar Iron Company

In its heyday the works stretched across Etruria Valley to what is now Festival Park in Hanley.
It had a 10,000-strong workforce, five coal mines, steelworks and rolling mills, blast furnaces and a bi-products factory.
In 1964 Shelton was the worlds first steel plant using 100% continuously cast production.

more on the Shelton Works

contents: 2009 photos