Merthyr Tydfil was the town where the future of a country was forged: a thriving, struggling surge of people, industry, democracy and ideas. It was the iron making capital of the world, and would become the crucible of modern Wales. The major figures among the ruling class: Anthony Bacon, the Crawshays, the Guests are all portrayed; as are the Chartist leaders Morgan Williams and Matthew John, and the MPs Henry Bruce, Henry Richard, D.A. Thomas and Keir Hardie. But the heroes are the men and women of Merthyr who, with extraordinary resilience, passed through the crucible of harsh experience, and out of their communities of self-help created their own culture and an extraordinary town. Merthyr The Crucible of Modern Wales assesses an epic history of Merthyr from 1760 to 1912 through the focus of a fresh and thoroughly convincing perspective.

About the Author
Joe England was educated at Cyfarthfa Grammar School, Merthyr Tydfil and at the University of Nottingham where he studied Economic and Social History. In a varied career he has been editor of a weekly newspaper, a lecturer for the Workers' Educational Association, deputy director of the department of Extra- Mural Studies in the University of Hong Kong, a research fellow in the Industrial Relations Research Unit at Warwick University and principal and chief executive of Coleg Harlech, Wales' residential college for adults. He has travelled widely in east Asia and is well-known as a lecturer on social and industrial affairs. He is chair of the Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Forum.


Book Information
ISBN 9781913640057
Author Joe England
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Parthian Books
Publisher Parthian Books