On Wednesday 21st November, Portland Works will welcome Dr Chris Corker, of York University to deliver the second in a series of lectures on the cutlery and steel industries. The illustrated talk is entitled “From Gun Barrels And Armour Plate To Stainless Steel Knives And Forks – Armaments and Metallurgical Research In Sheffield 1880s to 1920s”. Dr Corker is an expert in his field and has carried out 10 years of research here in Sheffield.
The lecture will start at 7pm, doors will open at 6.30pm and refreshments will available. Tickets are just £3.50 (students £2.50) and limited numbers are now available for reservation.
Call Stella Howe on 07392 082 058 or email outreach@portlandworks.co.uk to book your seat.
About the Lecture
In this talk by Dr Chris Corker, the origins of the alloy steel industry in Sheffield will be traced from the earliest work of Robert Albert Hadfield in the 1880’s through to the work of Harry Brearley on the eve of the Great War and the developmental work on heat and stain resisting steels in the 1920’s.
The talk will demonstrate how the armaments industry in Sheffield from the 1890’s provided the fertile ground for experiments into new metallurgical compositions and heat treatments for alloy steels. These experiments created the knowledge base on which the most important developments in alloy steels, including the development of stainless steel, rested.
