24/04/2024
A Major Black History Blurr...makes me want to puke, among other things!🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮
In 1781, a remarkable innovation that significantly impacted Britain’s industrial prowess emerged from an unexpected source: Jamaican metallurgists. These skilled individuals, many of whom were enslaved, played a pivotal role in the development of a groundbreaking ironworking technique.
Here are the key details:
Innovation: The technique in question is known as the Cort process. It allowed for the mass production of wrought iron from scrap iron, marking a significant advancement in iron production.
Attribution: While the British financier turned ironmaster Henry Cort is traditionally credited with inventing the Cort process, historical records now suggest a different narrative.
Jamaican Origins: The innovation was first developed by 76 black Jamaican metallurgists working at an ironworks near Morant Bay, Jamaica. These skilled workers hailed from west and central Africa, regions with thriving iron-working industries at the time.
Enslaved Workers: Many of these metallurgists were enslaved people, forcibly trafficked to Jamaica. Despite their challenging circumstances, they demonstrated remarkable expertise in iron manufacturing.
Grooved Rollers: The Jamaican metallurgists introduced the use of grooved rollers into the ironworks. This mechanized the previously laborious process of hammering out impurities from low-quality iron.
Profitable Ironworks: By 1781, the Jamaican ironworks was turning an impressive profit of £4,000 per year, equivalent to approximately £7.4 million today1.
In a twist of fate, Henry Cort acquired the machinery from the Jamaican foundry, shipped it to England, and subsequently patented the technique. His role as the “father of the iron trade” became widely recognized, but the true origins of the innovation lie with those skilled Jamaican metallurgists.
This historical revelation underscores the contributions of often overlooked individuals and highlights the interconnectedness of global innovation during the Industrial Revolution. 🌍🔥
