Life After The Steel Works

[TORONTONY]

We live in a constantly changing world and that is hard to accept when industries are out priced by newcomers and jobs lost. Too many countries producing steel has led to a change in the markets - but is the quality of foreign steel crap? No it's not.

 

It always makes me laugh when I hear the North East going on about what brilliant ships they built. We haven't built a decent ship here since around 1950. Take a look at how they do it in Japan and now that has lost market share to South Korea and upcoming is China. There is no way we could compete with their methods though plenty of Brits are out there overseeing the builds in these high tech sites. Been and seen it myself.

 

I never understand why sons are expected to follow fathers in cutlery, steel or down the pit. They were dirty, dangerous jobs and some knew no other work. Time to move on. Some kids will always just want or suit shelf stacking but there are other choices if they just think outside the old ways and maybe outside of S Yorks.

Excellent post sir, you have covered the thread question in a very insightful and honest way, bravo.

[samssong]

We live in a constantly changing world and that is hard to accept when industries are out priced by newcomers and jobs lost. Too many countries producing steel has led to a change in the markets - but is the quality of foreign steel crap? No it's not.

 

It always makes me laugh when I hear the North East going on about what brilliant ships they built. We haven't built a decent ship here since around 1950. Take a look at how they do it in Japan and now that has lost market share to South Korea and upcoming is China. There is no way we could compete with their methods though plenty of Brits are out there overseeing the builds in these high tech sites. Been and seen it myself.

 

I never understand why sons are expected to follow fathers in cutlery, steel or down the pit. They were dirty, dangerous jobs and some knew no other work. Time to move on. Some kids will always just want or suit shelf stacking but there are other choices if they just think outside the old ways and maybe outside of S Yorks.

Perhaps we should follow Japans idea on how to build power stations.

[pattricia]

Sheffields steel industries suffered due to cheap steel and cutlery coming in from abroad.

Our own Davy United helped in this by setting up and building some of those over seas plants [although others from other Countries would have if not us].

 

Viners a Sheffield trademark company stamped cheap cutlery from abroad with the Sheffield name ,this is sold in all the top shops tricking people into thinking that they are buying quality when in fact the product is crap.

Did or does the Government cause a stink about this underhand practice ,well no they do not which raises the point its not what you know but who you know or what club you belong to.

 

As a result of the above practices many of Sheffield's young are left on the scrap heap due to the traditional jobs that their family's have been engaged in for hundreds of years no longer available . these kids are then referred to as Chavs or feckless by the so called middle classes the same people that where responsible for their down fall in the first place.

 

So the shelf stackers of today are the skilled tradesmen and women of bygone Sheffield who would serve seven years apprenticeships to earn the skills req.

 

Ironically the shops and super markets are now offering apprentice ships in SHELF STACKING or to put it in perspective cheap labour a system once again inflicted on the poorer and uneducated sections of our society who can now see no way out from the predicament that has become their lot.

 

Excellent post !

[crookedspire]

What effect did the works clousers have on the city for example did a lot of shops and pubs close at a fast rate or slowly over time . If it's possible to recall which steel works were the first to go did the works close gradually over a time or went one after another?

[Janus]

What effect did the works clousers have on the city for example did a lot of shops and pubs close at a fast rate or slowly over time . If it's possible to recall which steel works were the first to go did the works close gradually over a time or went one after another?

 

The Stainless plant on Shepcote lane was still going strong in the late 70s and through the 80s. The early & mid 90s saw it`s demise. All that is operating now from the original set-up is the melting shop at the top end. All the hot & cold rolling shut down.

[Hampson]

Hi we are having the same problem in Hamilton ONT CANADA a lot of industrys went to Mexico are the states Hamilton lost a lot now one its steel makers is on the verge of going under or back to the states so things are not that rosy here I did work on Burlington ST in Hamilton in all plants that closed down in the 70s IO was a millright I am retired now Brian