Welcome to this guide to the many industries that were active in this county in the centuries up to the present day.
Each entry in the A-Z list of industries leads to an article on that subject. Each of these articles is followed by suggestions for site visits, further reading, and links to relevant websites. Many of them lead further to specific examples of that industry in action.
The photo galleries display images of local industries, many of them from the Mike Davies-Shiel Collection. You can buy copies of most of them – follow this link to find out more.
What’s new? For the latest pages see:
- A look at Mealbank, an industrial colony north-east of Kendal
- The Land Settlement Association in Cumbria
- Cumbria Industrial History Society’s programme for 2023
- Plenty about Hodbarrow iron ore mines in an article and photos
- Barrow in 1901 – a description of its industries
- A look at Harrington – coal, chemicals, iron and ships
- Farfield Mill near Sedbergh – facts and photos
- Links from Salt to a new online talk and a website full of information
- Keswick’s water-powered mills – photos and an article
- Swill basket making – a traditional Lakeland industry
- An intro with photos to snuff making, and a feature on Helsington Snuff Mill
- More photos about Tanning
- Plenty about peat – a photo gallery and peat cutters at work
- Windmills in Cumbria. Was there a windmill in Keswick?
- Photos of mill workers in the 1960s added to Backbarrow Blue
- The story of the cotton industry in Cumbria
- Hartley’s Brewery, Ulverston – “The Mecca of northern imbibers”
Thanks to everyone who has contributed material for this website – members of the Cumbria Industrial History Society, past and present; the Cumbria Amenity Trust Mining History Society and the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society; and various individuals.
If you have any comments to make on the content of this guide, or know where we might find useful items to add to it please e-mail mbarb@freenetname.co.uk.
General enquiries about the industrial history of Cumbria, or specific requests for information, should be directed to cihs@cumbria-industries.org.uk.